Culture Shock Experienced by Teachers from Indonesia Teaching and Living

in Thailand
Diah Ayu Rafika, S.Pd, Rini Susanti, S.Pd., M.A, Prof. Dr. Indawan, M.Pd
ayudiahrafika@gmail.com; rini_deddy@yahoo.com; indawansyahri_ump@yahoo.co.id

I. Introduction
I.1 Background
Culture can be viewed as many things, such as customs, beliefs, way of life, and so
on, that created by particular group of people in the world. Culture could also means an
identity for a nation or a country. People will find that each country has its own unique
way to describe their life that makes them different compare to other countries. As they
found it, it brings them to unfamiliar situation which may lead them to experience the
feeling of loss and confusion knowing as culture shock.
Culture sock is also known as an uncomfortable feeling that appears when someone
experience new things that they found completely different compare to what they usually
had in their routine. According to…………
I.2 Research Problem
Based on the background mentioned, the problem of this research are focus on
reactions and responses towards cultures shock and culture shock aspects experienced by
Indonesian Teacher who are Teaching and Living in Thailand.

I.2.1 Limitation of the Research

Based on the description written, the researcher limited the problem on reactions and
responses towards cultures shock and culture shock aspects experienced by Indonesian
Teacher who are Teaching and Living in Thailand.

I.2.2 Formulation of the Research

The researcher formulated the problem, as follows:
(1) How is the subjects’ reactions and responses towards Thailand culture?
(2) What culture shock aspects experienced by the subjects in Thailand?

I.3 Research Objectives

Based on the background mentioned, the objectives of this research, as follows:
(1) To find out subjects’ reactions and responses towards Thailand culture.
(2) To find out culture shock aspects experienced by the subjects in Thailand.
 I.4 Research Significant

II. Literature of the Study

II.1 Culture
II.2 Culture Shock
II.3 Culture Shock Stages and Symptoms
II.4 Foreign Teachers
II.5 New Culture Adjustment
New culture will bring such a new situation to the person who experience it. This
kind of situation surely will force the person to adjust and understand the unfamiliar
environment. Each person may have different reactions and responses towards the new
culture they found. Bochner’s (1982) in Basset (2018), stated that interacting with a new
and different culture included four reactions, as follows:
(1) Passing, referred to the individual rejecting his or her home culture and totally
accepting the host culture.
(2) Chauvinism, would be when an individual rejected the host culture and built up the
home culture. Bochner suggested this could lead to nationalism and racism on the
part of the individual.
(3) Marginalization, indicated an individual having trouble balancing his or her identity
between both cultures. This could suggest an unsettling feeling of an identity loss as
the individual may not feel a sense of connection to either culture.
(4) Mediating, was when an individual could successfully accept both the host and
home culture into his or her sense of self and daily life. (p.25)
Individuals may accept or reject the culture in the new environment. Whether some
of them may accept both cultures; the new one and their own depending on the
individuals themselves.

II.6 Culture Shock Aspects

III. Methodology of the Study

III.1 Method of the Study
III.2 Data Sources
III.3 Subjects
III.4 Data Collection Technique
III.5 Data Analysis
Culture shock Experienced by Teachers from Indonesia Teaching and Living in Thailand

Nama :
Tempat bekerja :
Lama bekerja :

1. Apa yang paling anda ingat mengenai bagaimana perasaan anda saat pertama kali tiba di
Thailand?
2. Bagaimana perasaan anda setelah beberapa hari/ minggu setelah kedatangan Anda di
Thailand?
3. Bagamana perasaan anda berubah setelah tinggal cukup lama di Thailand?
4. Apakah anda menerima semacam pelatihan sebelum anda bekerja di Thailand maupun
ketika berada di Thailand? Pelatihan jenis apa?
5. Jelaskan pengalaman anda saat anda pertama kali tiba di tempat kerja anda di Thailand?
6. Bagaimana anda berkomunikasi dengan siswa-siswi anda di Thailand untuk yang
pertama kali?
7. Apa saja aspek-aspek yang menantang dalam penyesuaian diri Anda terhadap lingkungan
dengan Bahasa yang baru?
8. Bagaimana rekan kerja anda membantu anda untuk berkomunikasi maupun beradaptasi di
lingkungan sekolah?
9. Bagaimana kebiasaan/ adat istiadat di Thailand bila dibandingkan dengan adat/istiadat di
Indonesia (diluar dan didalam lingkungan sekolah)?
10. Kebiasaan apa yang secara khusus anda sukai atau tidak sukai di Thailand? Mengapa?
11. Bagaimana pendapat anda mengenai cara masyarakat Thailand menggunakan teknologi
bila dibandingkan dengan masyarakat di Negara asal anda?
12. Tantangan apa yang anda hadapi dalam menggunakan teknologi dengan “Thailand
style”?
13. Apa perbedaan mengenai transportasi di Thailand bila dibandingkan dengan transportasi
di Negara asal anda?
14. Apa saran yang dapat anda berikan kepada guru-guru di masa depan yang akan memulai
karir mengajar serta tinggal di Thailand?