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This qualitative study explored students' lived experiences of higher education study abroad programs during the Covid-19 pandemic. Studying individual experiences in extraordinary circumstances like a pandemic can reveal personal, organisational and process-related resilience relevant to understanding and planning future events. Online semi-structured interviews with thirteen international students from four continents (North America, South America, Europe and Asia) were conducted amidst the pandemic in the Spring of 2021. Transition Theory underpinned the study. Interviews with students were used to explore personal strategies adopted to support the transition to virtual platforms during the pandemic. Through Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, four response categories were identified: Functioning in Ambiguity, The Importance of Language and Culture, Reshaping Community, and Alternative Experiences in Intercultural Connectivity. Participants' responses delved into aspects of acculturation, culture shock and resiliency amidst the disruption. These findings may inform future practices for international professionals supporting students studying abroad. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the impact of culture medium salinity (5–50 PSU) on the growth and maximum photochemical yield of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) and the composition of carotenoids, fatty acids, and bioactive substances in three marine microalgae (Chrysochromulina rotalis, Amphidinium carterae, and Heterosigma akashiwo). The microalgae were photoautotrophically cultured in discontinuous mode in a single stage (S1) and a two-stage culture with salt shock (S2). A growth model was developed to link biomass productivity with salinity for each species. C. rotalis achieved a maximum biomass productivity (Pmax) of 15.85 ± 0.32 mg·L−1·day−1 in S1 and 16.12 ± 0.13 mg·L−1·day−1 in S2. The salt shock in S2 notably enhanced carotenoid production, particularly in C. rotalis and H. akashiwo, where fucoxanthin was the main carotenoid, while peridinin dominated in A. carterae. H. akashiwo also exhibited increased fatty acid productivity in S2. Salinity changes affected the proportions of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids in all three species. Additionally, hyposaline conditions boosted the production of haemolytic substances in A. carterae and C. rotalis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Canada, the COVID-19 pandemic was initially characterized by emergency government responses that disrupted daily life, especially for marginalized groups. This study explored the vulnerabilities and capacities of international students studying at a university in Calgary, Canada during the first phase of the pandemic. Guided by the Capacities and Vulnerabilities Analysis framework, we thematically analyzed 11 semi-structured interviews with international students. We found that material vulnerabilities included balancing finances, housing conditions, lack of information, food inaccessibility, reliance on public transport, and poor mental health, social vulnerabilities included lack of social support, culture shock, and racism, and attitudinal vulnerabilities included "nowhere to go", feeling like a burden, and perception of Canada as safe. Material capacities included financial support, knowledge about pandemic, and mental health supports, social capacities included local social support and multilingualism, and attitudinal capacities included resilience, religious and spiritual beliefs, "it's not just about you", and reflexivity. We found overlapping and complex relationships between vulnerabilities and capacities, indicating that while international students' vulnerabilities were exacerbated and introduced challenges during the pandemic, students uniquely leveraged their capacities to offset and recover from challenges. Findings from this study may be informative for stakeholders involved in disaster responses, especially universities and governments, to support international students' capacities and address their vulnerabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article contributes a novel perspective on the common vulnerabilities of the Indigenous and international student experiences at higher education institutions in Australia. Through a review of 88 publications in the leading journals we show that the majority of these articles focus on international students rather than Indigenous students. This literature treats Indigenous and international students as separate categories, although they share the campus and common vulnerabilities that have intensified in the post-Covid and post-AI university. While the vulnerabilities of each group in isolation may be considered minor, that serious challenges effect more than one group of students underscores the urgent changes required in the higher education system. We argue that understanding the commonalities of Indigenous and international student experiences could help universities develop more effective support strategies and programs. This research provides valuable insights about the assumptions of Western higher education that must be communicated to students to minimize the culture shock as they navigate the higher education space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines reverse acculturative stress among Saudi students returning to their home country after studying in the USA. A study on Saudi students is particularly important due to scant empirical attention on Middle Eastern students. Given the population size of returning Saudi students, it is worth analyzing their adaptation to their home country, especially as the KSA has renewed its efforts at "saudification of the workforce," a goal that relies on a highly educated population. 96 university students participated in the study. Because of the gap in values between Saudi Arabia and the USA, the study hypothesized that Saudi returnees who reported higher levels of reverse culture shock would report lower life satisfaction and quality of life. Additionally, the study posited that students' identification with their Saudi heritage would correlate negatively with reverse culture shock. A novel tripartite intervention model is proposed to reduce reverse culture shock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the lived experiences of 11 teachers who immigrated recently from four African countries to teach in Florida schools. The study explored their perceptions, expectations, lived experiences and realities during their first year of teaching in US public schools in south-west Florida. In this qualitative, phenomenological research design, using field notes and in-depth individual semistructured interviews with the immigrant teachers, three themes emerged from the thematic analysis. These were: 1) challenges facing immigrant teachers from African countries during their first year of teaching; 2) adaptation to a completely different culture and the related culture shock; and 3) support from their employers (the school district) and local communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Germany is one of the destination countries for prospective students as a destination to continue to the university level. The researcher conducted this study with the aim of finding out the adaptation of Cirebon students in lecture activities and obstacles in lecture activities in Germany. This study uses a qualitative research method using a descriptive approach. The data collection technique was carried out using in-depth interview techniques, observations, and studies of relevant previous research articles and research-related documents. This research uses the theory of cross-cultural communication which is explained in it about culture shock and the stages of adaptation to new cultures. The results of this study show how the stages of Cirebon students when adapting to a new culture through the honeymoon phase, which is the introduction and enthusiasm for the new culture, then the frustration phase because they experience culture shock facing the new culture. The next stage is to start the reading phase by understanding and starting to learn new cultures in the environment around the residence and campus environment. The last stage is the resolution phase where Cirebon students accept the new culture that exists in Germany. Before the adaptation process occurred, this study showed the obstacles faced during lecture activities in Germany caused by internal or internal factors such as religion, food and weather. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why do white nationalist organizations (WNOs) focus attention on the issues they do? I draw from social movement studies, organizational studies, and social psychology to explain why WNOs shift attention over time to one particular grievance domain: borders- and immigration-related issues. I propose a cognitive-environmental theory of attention shifts and argue that WNOs are more likely to shift attention to borders and immigration when there is a grievance-validating external shock that is likely to be interpreted as a threat. Using a unique dataset of digitized WNO literature between 1980 and 2008 and a combination of computational text analysis and panel models, I find that white nationalist organizations in this sample were more likely to shift attention to borders and immigration when there was a high number of non-right-wing terror threats or attacks in the U.S. in the previous year relative to the size of the organization’s non-Hispanic/Latinx community. I conclude with implications for work on attentional selection and the evolution of discursive fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Israel's pronatalist cultures result in a social expectation to have children and drive Israel's fertility rate of 2.9. Israeli policy reflects this through funding unlimited fertility treatment up to two children. Societal pressure to have children exacerbates challenges of fertility treatment. Furthermore, the lack of financial burden creates a culture of perseverance following treatment failures. Whilst the experiences of Israeli women using fertility treatment have been studied, the experiences of women who migrated to Israel and were therefore raised in a different society have not. This study aimed to address this gap in knowledge. Methods: A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews to investigate the experiences of 13 English-speaking women who utilised Israeli state funded fertility treatment. Participants were located across Israel and were recruited using purposive sampling through social media. Data was analysed using framework analysis. Results: Despite not being aimed at specific ethnic or religious groups, all respondents were Jewish. Three themes were identified: 1. Systemic factors: The lack of financial burden was positive, however, participants struggled to navigate the bureaucratic healthcare system, especially when experiencing a language barrier. 2. Influence of others: Encountering a cold bedside manner alongside contending with the expectations of a pronatalist society was challenging. Participants utilised support from other migrants who appreciated the same culture shock. Understanding of healthcare professionals regarding shared religious values further improved treatment experiences. 3. Impact of journey: Participants often withdrew socially and the treatment process implicated upon their lives, jobs and relationships. Conclusion: Navigating a bureaucratic system and pronatalist society are difficulties associated with fertility treatment in Israel. The lack of financial burden and an understanding of religious and cultural beliefs by healthcare providers improved treatment experience. Better provision of resources in English and further research into supporting women who are navigating Israel's pronatalist society is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Similar to other expatriate destinations, expatriates in Nigeria are susceptible to a myriad of issues. Nevertheless, empirical investigation to curb vicious actions against expatriates in Nigeria has been scarce and scanty. This study was conducted on the notion that organisational support moderates the negative effects of workplace bullying and culture shock on the adaptation of expatriates in Nigeria. It is a quantitative, correlational, and cross-sectional study based on responses gathered using a purposive sampling technique from 192 expatriates from 17 countries working in Nigeria. The PLS-SEM path modelling outcomes indicated that both culture shock and workplace bullying negatively and significantly affect both work and non-work domains of expatriate adaptation. On the contrary, the path coefficients and t-values obtained for the moderation of culture hock by organisational support are positive but weak. Consequently, the p-values were not statistically significant and H3 was not supported. The moderation of workplace bullying and adaptation by organisational support was negative and also weak, implying that H4 is also not supported. In order to forestall the burdens of adaptation on expatriates, multinational companies are encouraged to explore various support measures, including cross-cultural training and addressing workplace bullying, to facilitate smooth adaptation for expatriates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: International medical trainees, including residents and fellows, must cope with many challenges, such as differences in cultural hierarchical systems, languages, and acceptance. Nonetheless, the need for adjustment perpetuates even after training is completed abroad. When some international trainees return to their countries of origin, they continue to face adjustment challenges due to reverse culture shock. Others must make many further readjustments. This study presents an exploration of the adjustment and coping strategies of international medical learners after returning to their countries of origin upon completion of their programs. Method: This study employed a qualitative approach grounded in interpretivism and utilised inductive thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke's method. Semi-structured, in-depth individual interviews were employed to explore the participants' coping strategies. Participants included international medical learners who were (1) international medical graduates who had already returned to their countries of origin, (2) non-Canadian citizens or nonpermanent residents by the start of the programs, and (3) previously enrolled in a residency or fellowship training programme at the University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Results: Seventeen participants were included. Three main themes and seven subthemes were created from the analysis and are represented by the Ice Skater Landing Model. According to this model, there are three main forces in coping processes upon returning home: driving, stabilising, and situational forces. The sum and interaction of these forces impact the readjustment process. Conclusion: International medical learners who have trained abroad and returned to their countries of origin often struggle with readjustment. An equilibrium between the driving and stabilising forces is crucial for a smooth transition. The findings of this study can help stakeholders better understand coping processes. As healthy coping processes are related to job satisfaction and retention, efforts to support and shorten repatriation adjustment are worthwhile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the challenges faced by Nigerian undergraduate students in Scotland, UK, focusing on communication culture shock and adaptation strategies. Addressing a gap in literature, it examines the communication techniques used by these students to navigate cultural differences. Anchored in Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT) and Social Identity Theory, the study analyses how students adjust their communication styles and how group identity influences adaptation. Utilising a survey research design, data from 381 Nigerian undergraduate students reveal various adaptation strategies, such as speaking clearly and embracing feedback, to overcome barriers. A survey research design was adopted for this study. The population of this study was made up of Nigerian undergraduate students in Scotland, United Kingdom. According to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (2023), the number of Nigerian undergraduate students in the United Kingdom between the years 2018/2019 through to 2022/2023 is 73,716. Keyton's formula for sample size determination was used to and the sample size of this study was 381. The snowball sampling was used in different stages. Data were gathered using the copies of the questionnaire which were administered on the respondents virtually. Quantitative data analysis was adopted in this study such as the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), percentages and inferential statistics Chi. The findings revealed that the importance of effective communication in navigating cultural differences, with a consensus on the efficacy of specific techniques. Speaking more slowly and clearly, using less slang and idioms, being more direct and open to feedback and criticism are considered beneficial for effective communication in the UK. The study recommended that Universities in the United Kingdom should foster collaborations with community organizations, Nigerian consular services, and Nigerian cultural associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International students are an important component of the host country and universities bringing economic, social, and community contributions. International students are the most vulnerable students with challenges related to academic expectations, language proficiency, and socio-cultural integration. This study explores the challenges of international students in a Western Australian School of Nursing and Midwifery. An exploratory questionnaire (n=10), three focus groups (n=15) and a quality improvement survey (n=80) informed this study. Four themes emerged: stress in the first weeks, incorrect and/or late enrolments, lack of guidance and support, and system navigation nightmares. Other issues included: accommodation, culture shock, financial concerns, information needs, and peer support. These findings led to the instigation of an international academic coordinator role as a single point of contact and increasing resources within the university faculty provided additional support to the international students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2023, I contributed to a book on Global Leadership, reflecting on my personal journey as an expat. Invited to join a global leadership program, I moved from the UK to Australia in 1987, aiming for professional growth and cultural enrichment. While the career opportunities were promising, the reality brought significant personal and emotional challenges, particularly the strain on family relationships. Initially filled with excitement, my family and I faced daunting logistics, from securing visas to adapting to a new environment. Our relocation was marked by cultural adjustments and financial hurdles, such as higher taxes and unexpected expenses. Settling in Australia involved dealing with extreme weather, isolation, and homesickness. Despite these struggles, we gradually integrated into our new community, explored the unique Australian landscape, and adjusted to the local way of life. The 1987 market crash severely impacted my career, leading to job loss and financial insecurity. However, resilience and networking helped me secure a new role, allowing us to stay in Australia and eventually gain permanent residency. Over time, I faced multiple job changes and relocations within Australia and later moved to the US for new opportunities. Throughout my journey, the emotional toll of being away from family, the constant need to adapt, and the challenges of maintaining long-distance relationships were significant. However, the experience also brought immense growth, new perspectives, and valuable professional achievements. Embracing the complexities of expatriate life, I learned to navigate the ups and downs, ultimately finding a sense of belonging in multiple cultures. This journey highlighted the profound impact of global leadership programs on personal and professional development, underscoring the importance of resilience and adaptability in a constantly changing world.

Abstract In this study, we investigated whether the interaction effects of self-efficacy, life satisfaction, and sociocultural adjustment have significant negative effects on culture shock. The data were collected from 323 international students in Turkey, and the sample comprised 197 undergraduates (61%) and 126 graduates (39%). We administered the “Culture Shock Questionnaire,” “General Self-Efficacy Scale”, “The Satisfaction with Life Scale”, and “Sociocultural Adaptation Scale” through an online survey. Of the participants, 86 were female (26.6%), and 237 were male (73.4%). The ages of the participants ranged from 18 to 32 (M = 22.11; SD = 4.23). In this study, we identified three structural models to test the relationships between culture shock, self-efficacy, life satisfaction, and sociocultural adjustment. The results supported our hypothesis (H1) that there would be a significant negative relationship between self-efficacy and culture shock. One-way MANOVA revealed that students with lower self-efficacy scores experienced greater culture shock. Conversely, students with higher self-efficacy scores experienced lower culture shock and interpersonal stress. Additionally, a multigroup analysis was conducted to test the assumed relationships in structural models for Muslim (such as Turkey, where the research was conducted, which is 90% Muslim) and Christian students. The results indicated that self-efficacy has a significantly greater negative impact on culture shock for Christian students than for Muslim students. Our study confirmed the hypothesis (H4) that life satisfaction and sociocultural adjustment serve as mediating variables between self-efficacy and culture shock. Both life satisfaction and sociocultural adjustment were found to have significant direct impacts on culture shock, and a meaningful mediating effect on the relationship between self-efficacy and culture shock was identified. Based on these findings, we concluded that self-efficacy may be particularly beneficial for coping with culture shock for people who do not embrace dominant religious beliefs in a local culture.

Over the past millennium, Confucian culture has prevailed in China as a typical informal institution, especially its emphasis on human feelings and interpersonal connections (guanxi) that coincides with the incentives for corruption. In this paper, we test the hypothesis that Confucian culture can generate positive effects on the formation of bureaucratic corruption in China. Using the variation in the number of jinshi across Chinese cities as a proxy for the degree of Confucian culture, and using the number of bribery recipients to measure corruption, we find that regions with more jinshi are associated with more bribe recipients. To address the endogeneity, we employ the Confucian sages in a given city as our instrumental variable. The instrumented results are consistent with our baseline claim. The findings remain robust after using a variety of tests, including using the percentage of bribe recipients instead of the number of bribe recipients, using the number of Confucius temples, Confucian academies and chaste women as alternative Confucian cultural measures, and controlling the impact of the North–South differences. In addition, we find the shock of foreign culture can mitigate the positive effect of Confucian culture on corruption. Finally, mechanism shows that the effect of Confucian culture on corruption can be attributed to the attitudes towards income unfairness, the excessive pursuit of vanity and the emphasis on interpersonal connections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2018, against a backdrop of post-truth politics, celebrity culture and shock journalism, Chris Bush and Matt Winkworth premiered their fake verbatim musical, The Assassination of Katie Hopkins. This musical explored the ramifications of the fictionalized death of the notorious tabloid-topper Hopkins, while questioning the authenticity of the verbatim form. In doing so, the creators considered new possibilities for musical theatre. This article will explore Bush and Winkworth's attempt to critique the cultural and political landscape, using the already ethically complex vehicle of verbatim theatre. It will consider the musical in relation to the political promiscuity of performance and slippage between the polarities of an ever-changing political spectrum. It will consider Jannerone's concept of vanguard performance and explore the performative responses to the musical about Hopkins in the alt-right press. As we question dominant ideologies within musical theatre and embrace the sense of being, at all times, 'post-something', this article considers how writers can document this time of interregnum to reflect a world where 'change is the only permanence, and uncertainty the only certainty'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The knowledge of and experience with culture shock and intercultural communication come under analysis in this autoethnography of a U.S.-American faculty member's Fulbright teaching experience in Uzbekistan. As a relatively new country couched under the blanket of Russian and Chinese influence, Uzbekistan strives to shift its economy, language, and geopolitical connections toward the West. Cultural knowledge about Uzbekistan is likewise still hidden behind the Uzbek and Russian languages, leaving English speakers from the West with few resources to engage in predeparture uncertainty reduction. This manuscript chronicles the early days of a sojourn of a faculty member who had cognitive knowledge of intercultural communication concepts but had no immersion experiences in which to test her abilities to adapt. Anxiety uncertainty management theory offers some insight into the culture shock and adaptation experienced by this faculty member. The study benefits teachers who may enter this or similar cultures, teachers who instruct with an interpreter, and anyone seeking cultural information about Uzbekistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated whether the interaction effects of self-efficacy, life satisfaction, and sociocultural adjustment have significant negative effects on culture shock. The data were collected from 323 international students in Turkey, and the sample comprised 197 undergraduates (61%) and 126 graduates (39%). We administered the "Culture Shock Questionnaire," "General Self-Efficacy Scale", "The Satisfaction with Life Scale", and "Sociocultural Adaptation Scale" through an online survey. Of the participants, 86 were female (26.6%), and 237 were male (73.4%). The ages of the participants ranged from 18 to 32 (M = 22.11; SD = 4.23). In this study, we identified three structural models to test the relationships between culture shock, self-efficacy, life satisfaction, and sociocultural adjustment. The results supported our hypothesis (H1) that there would be a significant negative relationship between self-efficacy and culture shock. One-way MANOVA revealed that students with lower self-efficacy scores experienced greater culture shock. Conversely, students with higher self-efficacy scores experienced lower culture shock and interpersonal stress. Additionally, a multigroup analysis was conducted to test the assumed relationships in structural models for Muslim (such as Turkey, where the research was conducted, which is 90% Muslim) and Christian students. The results indicated that self-efficacy has a significantly greater negative impact on culture shock for Christian students than for Muslim students. Our study confirmed the hypothesis (H4) that life satisfaction and sociocultural adjustment serve as mediating variables between self-efficacy and culture shock. Both life satisfaction and sociocultural adjustment were found to have significant direct impacts on culture shock, and a meaningful mediating effect on the relationship between self-efficacy and culture shock was identified. Based on these findings, we concluded that self-efficacy may be particularly beneficial for coping with culture shock for people who do not embrace dominant religious beliefs in a local culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indonesia's Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology created a program called Pertukaran Mahasiswa Merdeka (PMM), which allows students to take courses outside their study program and campus for one semester. The exchange process then brings together students from various cultural backgrounds, creating cross-cultural interactions. Interestingly, even though there are cultural differences, fantasy themes can be formed, becoming a common understanding among the students involved. This research uses a qualitative approach with Symbolic Convergence Theory, which is analyzed using the Fantasy Theme Analysis method. Direct observations were carried out on the second batch student community of the Pertukaran Mahasiswa Merdeka program at the Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) and continued with an in-depth interview process with 13 community members. The result is that six fantasy themes and their symbolic cues are formed in phases of culture shock. One of the fantasy themes succeeded in forming a rhetorical vision of the Nusantara Module activities in the recovery phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Similar to other expatriate destinations, expatriates in Nigeria are susceptible to a myriad of issues. Nevertheless, empirical investigation to curb vicious actions against expatriates in Nigeria has been scarce and scanty. This study was conducted on the notion that organisational support moderates the negative effects of workplace bullying and culture shock on the adaptation of expatriates in Nigeria. It is a quantitative, correlational, and cross-sectional study based on responses gathered using a purposive sampling technique from 192 expatriates from 17 countries working in Nigeria. The PLS-SEM path modelling outcomes indicated that both culture shock and workplace bullying negatively and significantly affect both work and non-work domains of expatriate adaptation. On the contrary, the path coefficients and t-values obtained for the moderation of culture shock by organisational support are positive but weak. Consequently, the p-values were not statistically significant and H3 was not supported. The moderation of workplace bullying and adaptation by organisational support was negative and also weak, implying that H4 is also not supported. In order to forestall the burdens of adaptation on expatriates, multinational companies are encouraged to explore various support measures, including cross-cultural training and addressing workplace bullying, to facilitate smooth adaptation for expatriates.

Глобализационные процессы в экономике, усиление политических и культурных связей между государствами, распространение интернета и дистанционных технологий обучения, ознаменовавшие собой XXI в., способствовали стремительному росту международной академической мобильности. В связи с этим особо актуальным становится вопрос преодоления культурного шока и проблема лингвокультурной адаптации иностранных студентов в иноязычной среде. Для выявления сложностей, влияющих на процесс лингвокультурной адаптации в русскоязычной образовательной среде, было проведено заочное онлайн-анкетирование иностранных студентов, обучающихся в Тюменском государственном университете (ТюмГУ). Согласно результатам опроса, большая часть иностранных студентов никогда не слышала о теории культурного шока, однако все опрошенные респонденты в большей или меньшей степени его испытали. Среди основных проблем, возникших на пути лингвокультурной адаптации, респонденты назвали языковой барьер, проблемы социализации, новые климатические условия, непривычную еду и др., при этом преодоление языкового барьера напрямую обусловило эффективность образовательного процесса. Наибольшую сложность при изучении русского языка вызвали особенности грамматического строя русского языка, восприятие русской речи на слух, нормы ударения, быстрый темп речи носителей языка, артикулирование некоторых звуков, семантические различия синонимичной лексики. Таким образом, для достижения успешной лингвокультурной адаптации необходимо владеть вербальными и невербальными средствами общения, умением выбирать их в соответствии с ситуацией общения, быть положительно настроенным на взаимодействие с представителями принимающей страны, стремиться узнавать чужую культуру и преодолевать стереотипы, иметь представление о ценностных ориентирах и нормах общества, обладать толерантностью к культурной идентичности другого этноса. В целом иностранные студенты видят положительные результаты преодоления культурного шока и оценивают кросс-культурную адаптацию как бесценный опыт, который способствовал личностному росту и раскрытию внутреннего потенциала, приобретению новых знаний и компетенций.

This article discusses the interest and motivation of nursing students in Indonesia, specifically in the Madura region, to pursue a career in Japan. Globalization and international mobility have influenced the interest of Madura residents in seeking job opportunities abroad, particularly in the Middle East. However, how do nursing graduates from Madura perceive Japan, a non-Muslim country, as a potential destination for employment. A survey and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 155 nursing students from STIKES Ngudia Husada, including alumni who have recently become nurses and are members of PPNI Bangkalan in Madura. The findings showed that the interest in working in Japan is actually quite high (82.6%), with the main motivating factors being the desire for new experiences (80%) and attractive salaries (49%). Nursing skills required to work in Japan are not a problem because the skill demands for nurses in Indonesia are actually higher. However, language barrier (83.2%), cultural differences, and adaptation issues (both 40.6%) are the main obstacles faced by nursing graduates from Madura in pursuing a career as nurses in Japan. This article proves that although Japan is still considered unfamiliar to Indonesian Migrant Workers in the Madura region, it is considered an attractive destination for nursing students, especially those from STIKES NHM Bangkalan in Madura. However, the challenges of learning the Japanese language, which uses non-alphabetic characters such as Kana and Kanji, as well as the fear of cultural shock due to different work habits and culture, are the biggest obstacles they face. Therefore, Japanese language training, cultural introduction, and understanding of the work ethic of the Japanese society are crucial in enhancing the competitiveness of Indonesian nurses who aspire to pursue a career in Japan.

This study aims to investigate the contributing factors that make returning exchange students' readjustment in their home culture difficult and lead them to feel reverse culture shock and the coping strategies they make use of to mitigate this reverse culture shock. Using purposive and snowball sampling, the data was gathered through a mixed method approach, including a questionnaire with 16 exchange alumni and a semi structured interview with 7 of them. The results of the study showed that most participants experienced difficulty readjusting due to different reasons, namely the unhealthy comparisons they made between their host and home cultures and the reverse homesickness and alienation they encountered in their home culture. The study also indicated two main coping strategies that students relied on to reduce their reverse culture shock: processing and accepting that they have become different after their exchange and staying in touch with fellow exchange alumni. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maggie Gee's Virginia Woolf in Manhattan (2014) depicts the resurrection of Virginia Woolf in contemporary New York. Having been encultured into the norms of Victorian period and the early twentieth century, Virginia is overwhelmed by an initial sense of estrangement in the modern, multicultural world, whose façade has been shaped by advanced scientific and technological developments and the changes in traditional socio-economic and cultural relationships. When Virginia decides to be deculturated from Victorian culture, she starts to adjust herself to the new world, in which she has a chance to develop herself in a more liberated woman. This study refers to theories on culture shock and cross-cultural adaptation to show that Gee's Virginia, who moves from the early twentieth-century society dominated by conservative Victorian norms, achieves crosscultural adaptation into a foreign community by adjusting herself to the rules and values of the global and multicultural twenty-first century world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored reverse culture shock faced by the first-generation Thai diasporas residing in Western countries upon visiting Thailand. A qualitative research approach guided it. Semi-structured interviews were employed to obtain data from 21 respondents. Thematic analysis revealed that all Thai diaspora tourists experienced reverse culture shock, which could be categorized into five main aspects: cultural, interpersonal, emotional, moral, and environmental. Further, the study suggested that reverse culture shock did not always result from the elements in a home country that caused difficulties, discomfort or unpleasant feelings but could also come from the attributes which tourists sought but could not find in their current country of residence and the realization of the significance of things in their home country that were previously overlooked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of this paper is to present a chatbot developed for international students. It provides guidance on a range of challenges, including safety, culture shock, housing, language, and academic notes. For this purpose, a dataset of 72 question-and-answer intents was developed from scratch, designed to assist students. The training phase uses the dataset to create the neural network model. The chatbot makes use of established rules and techniques for natural language processing to predict the appropriate responses to user’s demand. Two Python-based versions of the chatbot are developed: one with a user interface, designed using a Flask server connected to a front-end section, and one with a compiler-based method that can handle speech input and output. Both versions achieved high accuracy during the training phase, suggesting good forecasting for the purpose upon which the chatbot was designed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, I argue that humour scandals are less a product of the changing media landscape of the last thirty years than recent studies seem to suggest. Instead, I point to the structural continuities that can be observed in Dutch humour scandals over the past seventy years. Although stemming from various sociocultural and media contexts, these scandals roughly follow the same 'script'. I also show that humour scandals are not just mediated events, but markers of cultural conflict as well. Behind every scandal, a substantial moral, cultural, and often also social divide can be recognised, and the study of humour scandals can be used to better understand such divides. I substantiate both of these claims through a qualitative, contextual analysis of two Dutch humour scandals: the mocking of Catholic pastors by comedian Wim Sonneveld in a TV performance from 1963, and the roast of far-right politician Thierry Baudet by comedian Martijn Koning in a popular late night talk show from Spring 2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Credible assessment methods must be applied to evaluate antiseptics' in vitro activity reliably. Studies indicate that the medium for biofilm culturing should resemble the conditions present at the site of infection. We cultured S. aureus, S. epidermidis, P. aeruginosa, C. albicans, and E. coli biofilms in IVWM (In Vitro Wound Milieu)—the medium reflecting wound milieu—and were compared to the ones cultured in the laboratory microbiological Mueller–Hinton (MH) medium. We analyzed and compared crucial biofilm characteristics and treated microbes with polyhexamethylene biguanide hydrochloride (PHMB), povidone-iodine (PVP-I), and super-oxidized solution with hypochlorites (SOHs). Biofilm biomass of S. aureus and S. epidermidis was higher in IVWM than in MH medium. Microbes cultured in IVWM exhibited greater metabolic activity and thickness than in MH medium. Biofilm of the majority of microbial species was more resistant to PHMB and PVP-I in the IVWM than in the MH medium. P. aeruginosa displayed a two-fold lower MBEC value of PHMB in the IVWM than in the MH medium. PHMB was more effective in the IVWM than in the MH medium against S. aureus biofilm cultured on a biocellulose carrier (instead of polystyrene). The applied improvement of the standard in vitro methodology allows us to predict the effects of treatment of non-healing wounds with specific antiseptics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Dengan adanya globalisasi di bidang pendidikan, Indonesia menyaksikan kedatangan banyaknya mahasiswa asing yang memilih melanjutkan studi di perguruan tinggi lokal, terlibat dalam program pertukaran pelajar, atau melakukan studi banding dengan universitas dalam negeri. Meskipun demikian, banyak di antara mereka yang menemui tantangan yang cukup besar dalam beradaptasi dengan budaya Indonesia, yang seringkali berujung pada fenomena yang dikenal sebagai "culture shock” atau gegar budaya. Culture shock merupakan anggapan-anggapan yang datang terhadap situasi yang menyebabkan individu mengalami keterkejutan dan tekanan karena hadir dalam lingkungan yang berbeda dengan lingkungan asal mereka. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui culture shock akademik mahasiswa asing di Indonesia. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode deskriptif dengan pendekatan studi kasus. Dalam penelitian ini, penulis mengambil lokasi di Kota Surakarta. Penulis berfokus pada pengambilan data di salah satu universitas swasta yaitu Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta. Hasil yang diperoleh pada penelitian ini adalah mahasiswa asing yang menempuh jenjang pendidikan perguruan tinggi di Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta mengalami culture shock. Hal ini dapat terlihat dari problematika yang dialami oleh para mahasiswa asing yaitu terkait gaya hidup yang terbagi atas faktor geografis dan sosial sehingga berdampak pada aktivitas di kehidupan akademik mereka. Mahasiswa asing perlu beradaptasi dengan lingkungan di Indonesia agar dapat menghadapi culture shock yang dialaminya.

Culture shock has gained attention and been observed from multi-disciplinary perspectives in international education, such as from anthropology, psychology, cultural psychology, intercultural communication studies, linguistics, and many others. By synthesising the ABC’s theory and intercultural communicative competence with their savoirs, the present study offers a perspective to analyse three international students’ culture shock experiences. As an explorative case study, the data were collected through in-depth interviews to extract the sojourners’ narratives, which were then transcribed in the form of text or quotations. It was found that the affective, behavioural, and cognitive dimensions were identified and emerged in each respondent. In the affective, overwhelming emotions, language limitation, and feelings of isolation were felt in various intensities. From the data, the respondents claimed to have lacked intrapersonal skills to prepare themselves for the culture of the host country along with the socio-cultural aspects. In addition, they found social support by individuals or officials essential for reducing negative feelings. In the behavioural dimension, these respondents started to adapt to the situation though they still found it challenging to confirm and clarify any unfamiliar encounters. Finally, in the cognitive dimension, the respondents mingled and integrated into the locals, both in their academic and social lives. It is suggested that elements of intercultural communicative competence, namely intercultural attitude, knowledge of the host culture, skills of relating and discovery, and critical cultural awareness may have the potential to manage culture shock effectively. It should be incorporated into international higher education and EFL pedagogy.

This paper explores the multi-dimensional Asian American identity of immigrant Indians from their interview responses. Pan-ethnic identity of Indians in the US as Asian Americans, the Mar Thoma Church community for religious identity, and the second-generation Patel family’s union formation in terms of gender identity will be analyzed to find out the reasons behind their choice of a particular identity. Historical frameworks like Asian American movement and theoretical frameworks like identity formation theories will be used to interpret the reasons behind the choice of the identity of Indian Americans. For analyzing interview data, methodological frameworks, including thematic and statistical analysis, will be used. Results show the reasons behind their choice of different identities, including professional advantage and their future directives as part of hypotheses of Indian Americans as they merge with the American identity as part of cultural assimilation, in other cases, retain their Asian-ness beyond Americanized identity and sometimes go beyond both American, Asian identity to restate their Indian ethnicity. To conclude, the identity of Indian Americans remains evenly poised and keeps on changing due to the requirements of the ever-evolving world.

Purpose – This paper aims to interpret the multidimensional Asian American identity of immigrant Indians in terms of pan-ethnicity, gender and religion. Design/methodology/approach – The social construction and experience of race in the US and the intersection of multiethnic Asian American identity with race, gender and religion will be used in critically commenting on the interview of primary ethnic identity of Indian Americans including the pan-ethnic identity of Indians in the US as Asian Americans, the Mar Thoma Church community, the second-generation Patel family's union formation in terms of gender identity. Findings – The future directives include Asian American Movement (AAM) which is trying to incorporate Indians as pan-ethnic identity assimilation and the process of holding American identity as primary identification of Indians. Practical implications – Policy recommendations are that the US Census Bureau should include Indian Americans as separate ethnic identity for Indian immigrants like the Chinese Americans. USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services) should reform policies to include the wives of H-4 visa holders. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) should provide secure living environment for Indian immigrants. The US Department of Labor should provide equal opportunities for women in their immigration policies. Originality/value – This paper will critically analyze the interview results of primary ethnic identity and justify the hypotheses of Asian American identity of Indians, whether (1) they merge with the American identity as part of cultural assimilation or (2) retain their Asian identity beyond Americanized identity or (3) go beyond both American and Asian identity to restate their Indian ethnicity.

To what extent does migration contribute to fulfilling individual aspirations and dreams? This paper tries to answer this question through the migration journey in the two selected novels, Khawla Hamdi's Expatriation of the Jasmin (2015) and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Americanah (2013), where Jasmin and Ifemelu decide to leave their own countries (Tunisia and Nigeria) to achieve their goals of studying, doing their post graduate studies, and enjoying the western world qualities of freedom and justice in France and the USA. Postcolonial theory will be adopted to highlight the themes of diaspora and alienation that the two protagonists embrace so badly during their long stay away from home in addition to the cultural shock they are going to experience as for Jasmin who is going to be treated unfairly because of her veil and Ifemelu who is going to be called as a negro for the first time in her life. The paper answers the question of the two protagonists “Will they achieve their dreams of freedom, equality, and human treatment in the western world, or will they be chasing mirage? They realize that they are chasing mirage, and the ideal image of the western world is scattered, they conclude that they can achieve success anywhere without having to migrate, and the first step on the way to success starts from the inside.

The current study deals with one of the most important issues and challenges of globalization prevalent in most governmental and private organizations due to high-rise multiculturalism in institutions. The study is an attempt to identify challenges faced by the female expatriate faculty at Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia, concerning the impact of academic, social, and cultural life and aspects on the productivity of the organization. The study is based on the stages included in the ”rites of passage” with its threefold model: separation, transition, and incorporation/re-aggregation. The study adopts a basic qualitative descriptive design as it examines the way expatriate academics share real-life experiences using their perspectives. Focus group interviews have been the main research instrument. Eighteen expatriate faculty members working in three colleges under Prince Sattam University, KSA, were the participants. The findings of the study revealed that despite facing many hardships during the periods of separation and transition, the expatriate female faculty members gradually adapted to the period of aggregation and continued to work at the same university, thus enhancing the productivity of the organization. Future studies that will evolve from this study have the potential for positive social change to improve the quality of work experiences for female expatriates that work in higher education.