A Phenomenological Exploration of Intercultural Communication Experiences among International Students in Indonesia Using Colaizzi’s Method: Identity Negotiation and Nonverbal Challenges
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Abstract
Intercultural communication has become a vital field of inquiry within communication studies, particularly in the context of increasing global student mobility. Despite growing interest, there remains a limited understanding of how international students subjectively experience and adapt to unfamiliar communication cultures in host countries like Indonesia. Existing studies tend to emphasize observable behaviors and adjustment stages, leaving the meaning-making process of cultural adaptation largely unexplored. This study adopts a descriptive phenomenological approach to examine how international students in Indonesia perceive and navigate intercultural communication. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with nine international students from diverse cultural backgrounds, including Asia, Africa, and Europe, and were analyzed using Colaizzi’s method. The findings reveal four essential themes: initial cultural dissonance, challenges in interpreting nonverbal cues, language as both a barrier and a bridge, and the gradual emergence of adaptation and belonging. These themes illustrate how students engage in continuous interpretation, emotional negotiation, and identity construction as they adapt to Indonesian communicative norms. The study offers new insights into the lived reality of intercultural adaptation, highlighting the subjective and dynamic nature of this experience. These findings contribute to a more humanistic understanding of intercultural communication and inform practical strategies for supporting international students in globalized educational settings.
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