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CULTURE SHOCK EXPERIENCED WHILE STUDYING IN INDONESIA

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Adelwis Rafiar

Academic year: 2023

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CULTURE SHOCK EXPERIENCED WHILE STUDYING IN INDONESIA INTRODUCTION

Globalization has paved the way for the world community to explore every region, nation, and even country and continent. Even in the world of education, we can feel the impact of globalization, which affects all activities in the education sector. Where all the world's borders are more open and international mobility becomes easier, thus providing opportunities for many students around the world to study abroad or just outside the region or province. According to Seeber, Cattaneo, Huisman, & Paleari (2016) on [ CITATION Pre16 \l 1057 ], student exchanges have become the focus of many researchers around the world in cross-cultural studies, given the continued increase in internationalization and globalization in the higher education sector. Cross-cultural has spawned a plethora of research material that is frequently associated with how a person deals with cultural shocks and cross-cultural abilities, as well as an examination of how students' behavior adapts to their new cultural environment.

Culture shock is a feeling of anxiety and fear that can occur when someone is in a new environment. This can happen when there are differences in cultural values that they are not familiar with [ CITATION Fur12 \l 1057 ]. New students can feel this shock and can encourage others to maintain their old habits [ CITATION All11 \l 1057 ]. In psychological terms, "culture shock" describes the feelings that arise when a person is confronted by a new social environment that is different from his old self. Feelings that arise include helplessness, fear, anxiety, withdrawal from the social and family environment, self-deprecation, feeling worthless, and the inability to cope with environmental demands, so this can affect the pattern of an individual's life. Such as eating disorders, sleep disturbances, difficulty concentrating, being alone, and experiencing prolonged stress. Someone who suffers from stress is usually seen in their inability to adjust to their environment, experiencing anxiety disorders, depression, and psychosomatic disorders. Stress that occurs during the educational process is commonly called "academic stress." Academic stress is stress originating from the teaching and learning process or related to learning activities, such as pressure to pass courses, length of study, many assignments, exam anxiety, and time management. So that students look gloomy, lose their sense of humor, have difficulty sleeping, have headaches, and decrease their immune system.

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Culture shock is a process of adjustment to a new cultural environment, which has an impact on several outcomes, including adaptation. Previous research has shown that people with high intercultural ability are less likely to experience culture shock and adapt more quickly to it (Presbitero, 2016). This is also supported by the results of his study [ CITATION Bie16 \l 1057 ], which found that adaptive modification behavior is needed when outside the parent environment. The adaptation that includes a person's level of behavioral and psychological abilities is becoming a universal phenomenon for all intercultural travelers, regardless of the purpose of the transfer or the compelling circumstances. This adaptation process will be influenced by two supporting factors, namely cultural learning and/or facing new situations, as well as coping processes.

In line with Bierwiaczonek's statement, [ CITATION Mat13 \l 1057 ] view adaptation as a process of changing one's behavior in response to environmental, social, or other pressures. In the literature, adaptation has been assessed by management style, leadership behavior, performance in culturally diverse teams, vocational interests, international orientation, quality of relationships, interactive behavior, and so on. Adjustment is the process of getting used to a new environment or situation. It can be assessed by mood states, self-esteem, self-awareness, physical health, self-confidence, stress, psychological and psychosomatic worries, an early return to one's home country, dysfunctional communication, and culture shock. In extreme cases, a negative adjustment may involve antisocial behavior (gangs, substance abuse, crime), and even suicide. Successful intercultural adaptation and adjustment require learning how to behave in ways that might help achieve goals and complete tasks while minimizing the negative effects of adaptation (such as feelings of stress or discomfort) and maximizing the positive effects (such as feeling successful and connected). This means developing successful relationships with people from other cultures, completing tasks quickly and efficiently, and managing stress effectively in all areas of life.

Indonesia is a country with many tribes and cultures, and most of the students come from all over Indonesia. So there are many opportunities for students from all over Indonesia to meet in one campus environment. In addition, education level is also a second influencing factor that creates culture shock for new students. Differences in ethnicity and culture, as well as the new educational environment, bumped many students into new habits as well. For example, differences in language, environment, weather, and completely different habits often make new students feel shaken. Culture shock will always be experienced by students who study in a new place far from home. As stated in Suryandari's (2012) research

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[ CITATION Ary21 \l 1057 ], culture shock is a natural reaction experienced by students when they are in a new environment. People experiencing culture shock have a hard time getting used to a different way of life and different social customs. There are also many different types of environments, cultures, languages, and weather that students may have to deal with when studying outside of their area. Therefore, this paper will describe the main factors of culture shock experienced by new students based on cultural differences, traditions or habits, language, and so on. In the end, this paper also tries to explain the method of adaptation of students to the cultural environment and new habits.

DISCUSSION

The theory that supports culture shock is enculturation, in which enculturation is a social process experienced by humans as beings who reason and have the power of reflection and intelligence. In this process, humans learn to understand and adapt to the mindset, knowledge, and culture of the community or society where they live. Socialization is a process when humans, as members of a community or local community, are educated to know, understand, obey, respect, and live up to the norms and values that apply in society.

Socialization is a process that occurs throughout a person's life and involves learning about and adapting to the culture around them. Enculturation is a process that occurs when a person adopts something from the culture around him and helps maintain aspects of his original culture. A person interacts with his environment at various levels, including the individual (microsystem), family (mesosystem), school (exosystem), and society (macrosystem). The environment has a great influence on a person's life, and we can all contribute to our development by influencing the people and atmosphere around us.

Stepping into a new era and place at a higher education level, students experience an enculturation process in which, consciously or unconsciously, either forced or voluntary, they will learn to understand and adapt to their new environment's mindset. According to Goldstein (2015), there are four stages to the emergence of culture shock:

1 Phase 1 (the honeymoon phase): This is the stage where a person will feel happy when they arrive in a new country or place, especially if they have never visited the place before. The visible characteristics are as follows: (1) feel comfortable living outside the dwelling; (2) feel more comfortable spending longer time outdoors; (3) feel comfortable traveling; (4) are more interested in exploring new places; (5) have

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high interest or curiosity about new or unknown things; (6) are more interested in exploring the ins and outs and history of their new place.

2 Phase 2 (crisis phase): A person will find some differences in his new place. A person will feel that some things are not part of their personalities, such as food, an accent that is difficult to understand, buying and selling habits, and feelings of loneliness.

These things make a person feel alienated from the environment. However, as time goes on, they will get through it in a good way through self-adjustment. The characteristics that emerge are as follows: (1) feeling uncomfortable living in their new home or place of residence; (2) feeling more comfortable living on campus than living in boarding houses; (3) feeling awkward with the social environment, neighbors, and campus environment; (4) difficulty starting a conversation; (5) not being familiar with the manners, customs, and habits of the community, neighbors, and campus environment; (6) not understanding the language used as a means of communication around and in the surrounding community; (7) experiencing various illnesses when he started living away from home.

3 Phase 3 (the adjustment stage): at this stage, the individual will feel used to interacting with the new environment in a new country, place, or school.

Characteristics that appear as follows: (1) less active in speaking or communicating with the community around the residence and campus; (2) prefer to use Indonesian when communicating rather than their regional language.

4 Phase 4 (bi-cultural phase): This stage is when an individual begins to feel comfortable living with two cultures at once. This is a good indication that someone has survived a little natural selection. However, some students admire foreign cultures, so when they return to their homes, they may feel alienated from the culture in which they live. So it needs to be emphasized that there must be a balance between understanding cultures outside their habitat without leaving their identity.

Likewise with knowledge, community culture, or society in the world of his new lectures. The following are factors that contribute to culture shock:

1 Climate

Indonesia's territory has many differences in temperature and weather, so every student must adapt himself to the new weather environment. For example, the weather in Malang is different from the weather in Bali.

2 Languages

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Indonesia has more than 718 regional languages, and the lecture environment will sometimes affect the way people communicate, so new students who migrate may have difficulty adjusting to the use of that language. Moreover, people's habit of speaking is difficult to tolerate.

3 Social roles

The social behavior of the local community might make us feel confused, surprised, or even offended. Because basically, the characteristics of the people of each region are different, for example, new students find the people around them seem cold, or maybe find the relationship between men and women more formal or less formal than what we are used to. As well as differences in contact and social relations between the same gender, same or different religions, and others.

4 Rules of behavior

Several things are obvious when someone arrives in a new place, such as sights, sounds, smells, and tastes. But there are also unspoken rules that affect how people interact with each other. For example, people from different cultures may have different ideas about what is important, how tasks are assigned, and how time is managed. This can be confusing when a freshman first arrives in a new place, but it's important to study it so you don't miss out on work, assignments, and so on.

5 Values

Culture is a set of values, norms, assumptions, and beliefs that are passed down from one generation to the next. It can be confusing to notice that people from other cultures have different values and beliefs because most of us take our core values for granted and believe that they are shared by everyone. It can be helpful to try to understand culture by seeing what people say or do in the context of their cultural norms. Once individuals understand both cultures, they may find some aspects of each to be appealing. It can be difficult to understand other people's perspectives, but it's important to try to do so to better understand and interact with them. It's also important to remember that different cultures have different strengths and weaknesses, so it's important to be aware of that when interacting with people from different cultures..

Even though it seems to have a negative connotation, culture shock is a normal experience that many people experience when on the move or traveling. Although it may be challenging, those who can sort out their feelings and adjust to new environments often

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overcome culture shock. Consequently, cultural adjustments can lead to personal growth and pleasurable experiences. Some overseas students feel homesick when they first arrive in a new place. Homesickness is not just a feeling of homesickness or people from the country of origin. Homesickness can also be a feeling of longing for the old self that was left behind, relatives, and family left behind. Living a life that is different from the one you're used to can be difficult, and it can make you feel inferior, introverted, and uncomfortable. That is why new students need to adapt quickly to their new environment. New students who experience culture shock often blame themselves for situations they cannot control. They may forget what their goals are in the world of lectures and their goals for one semester. They may also forget the strengths and abilities that students have. They doubted themselves a lot and looked down on themselves in their new surroundings. Thinking too much about how to adjust and adapt to a new environment can prevent new students from learning to accept themselves[ CITATION Mat20 \l 1057 ].

To avoid the negative impact of cultural differences, new students must understand themselves and be able to recognize their new environment. Trying to be more mature in your thinking and training yourself to be open and able to adapt to changes that occur throughout your life[ CITATION Hud17 \l 1057 ]. Turn disbelief in yourself into motivation to move and adapt immediately. Reflecting on ourselves and accepting that we are constantly changing and growing is good for us. We can use our different perspectives to think more positively and focus on spiritual values to bring ourselves closer to being grateful for life. Spiritual intelligence is the ability to understand and deal with issues of meaning and value and is the basis for IQ and EQ. So students can understand and evaluate their actions.

Besides that, learning the local language also needs to be done to increase the ability to merge into society so that good relations with the local community can be built. Another way to adapt is to build friendships with local students; they will show you many things that we might not have known before about the new environment. Local friends will also be the best guides to helping us adapt to this new environment. Next is to be patient, because culture shock is commonplace and cannot be denied. Keeping your mind open and accepting all differences with sincerity is a step you can take so you don't feel lonely. The last is to do things that feel familiar to our past habits; of course, this will help to maintain our identity without being dragged down by the flow of cultural displacement that is being experienced.

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CONCLUSION

Culture shock is a feeling of anxiety and fear that can occur when someone is in a new environment. This can happen when there are differences in cultural values that they are not familiar with. Someone who suffers from stress is usually seen in their inability to adjust to their environment, experiencing anxiety disorders, depression, and psychosomatic disorders. Adaptation is a process of changing one's behavior in response to environmental, social, or other pressures. People experiencing culture shock have a hard time getting used to a different way of life and customs. Culture shock will always be experienced by students who study in a new place far from home. Successful intercultural adaptation and adjustment require learning how to behave in ways that might help achieve goals and complete tasks while minimizing the negative effects of adaptation (such as feelings of stress or discomfort) and maximizing the positive effects (like feeling successful and connected). The theory that supports culture shock is enculturation. Enculturation is a social process experienced by humans as beings who reason, have the power of reflection and intelligence. It involves learning about and adapting to the culture around them. A person interacts with his environment at various levels, including the individual (microsystem), family (mesosystem), school (exosystem) and society (macrosystem).

Students experience an enculturation process in which they will learn to understand and adapt their new environment's mindset. According to Goldstein (2015) there are 4 stages to the emergence of culture shock, including the honeymoon phase, crisis phase and dissimilation phase. The visible characteristics of these stages are as follows: feeling comfortable living outside the dwelling, spending more time outdoors, and being more interested in exploring new places. The characteristics that emerge are as follows: feeling uncomfortable living in their new home/place of residence; (2) feel more comfortable living on campus than living in boarding houses; (3) feeling awkward with the social environment, neighbors, and the campus environment. Some students really admire foreign cultures so that when they return to their homes, they may feel alienated from the culture in which they live.

So there must be a balance between understanding cultures outside their habitat without leaving their identity.

To avoid the negative impact of cultural differences, new students must really understand themselves and be able to recognize their new environment. We can use our different perspectives to think more positively, and focus on spiritual values to bring

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ourselves closer to being grateful for life. Learning the local language also needs to be done to increase the ability to merge into society, so that good relations with the local community will be built.

REFERENCES

References

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Aryani, N. D., Komar, O., Abdulhak, I., Hatimah, I., & Nuraini, C. (2021). LEVELS OF CULTURE SHOCK IN STUDENTS AT UNIVERSITY. JOMSIGN: Journal of Multicultural Studies in Guidance and Counseling, 5(2), 160-168.

doi:https://doi.org/10.17509/jomsign.v5i2.26749

Bierwiaczonek, K., & Waldzus, S. (2016). Socio-Cultural Factors as Antecedents of Cross- Cultural Adaptation in Expatriates, International Students, and Migrants: A Review.

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sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Hudriati, A., Ratnawati, & Riskawati. (2017). Analysis of Culture Shock Experienced by The New Students of English Departement In Faculty of Letters UMI Makassar.

Tamaddun: Jurnal Bahasa, Sastra, dan Budaya, 16(1), 21-29. From https://media.neliti.com/media/publications/349722-analysis-of-culture-shock-

experienced-by-a765adab.pdf

Kim, Y. Y. (2017). Cross-cultural adaptation. Oxford research encyclopedia of communication.

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Matdiningrum, A., & Larasati, A. (2020). Culture Shock in a Study Abroad Program in an Indonesian Context. Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities

Research. 518, pp. 297-304. Atlantis Press. From

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

Matsumoto, D., & Hwang, H. C. (2013). Assessing Cross-Cultural Competence: A Review of Available Tests. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 44(6), 849-873.

doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022113492891

Presbitero, A. (2016). Culture shock and reverse culture shock: The moderating role of cultural intelligence in international students’ adaptation. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 53, 28-38. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2016.05.004

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