Cultural Shock and Adaptation: A Phenomenological Study of Indonesian Students Living Overseas

Abstract

Relocating to and residing in an unfamiliar environment often presents significant challenges, as individuals must navigate lifestyles that differ markedly fromthoseoftheir native culture and surroundings. Indonesian students pursuing educationabroadare required to undergo a process of cultural and environmental adaptation. This studyseeks to investigate the stages of culture shock experienced by Indonesian studentsoverseas, identify the underlying factors contributing to this phenomenon, andexamine the strategies employed to manage it. Utilizing a descriptivephenomenological approach, the researcher explores the lived experiences ofparticipants through in-depth interviews, allowing the phenomenon to emergenaturally from the individuals' perspectives. The findings indicate that the cultureshock experienced by Indonesian students generally unfolds in four stages: (1) initial enthusiasm (honeymoon phase); (2) psychological and emotional challenges (crisisphase); (3) gradual adjustment (recovery phase); and (4) eventual comfort andacceptance (adjustment phase). Contributing factors include significant cultural differences, particularly for students from North Sumatra who may face difficultiesintegrating into their new social contexts, as well as language barriers that impedeeffective intercultural communication. To cope with these challenges, studentsundertake several adaptive strategies, including actively learning the host culturetoease the transition and improving language proficiency to facilitate meaningful communication and foster social integration.