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COMMUNICATION BARRIERS AND COPING MECHANISMS: A CLOSER LOOK AT

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS’ STRUGGLES

Thesis · February 2024

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.22666.44484

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 West Visayas State University
COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION
Iloilo City
3

COMMUNICATION BARRIERS AND COPING MECHANISMS: A CLOSER LOOK

AT INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS’ STRUGGLES

Magdalene S. Ucheh

Chapter 1

The Problem

Chapter 1 is divided into five parts: (1) Background and Theoretical

Framework of the Study; (2) Objectives of the Study; (3) Significance of the

Study; (4) Definition of Terms; and (5) Delimitation of the Study.

Part One, Background and Theoretical Framework of the Study,

provides background, justifies the need for the study, and presents the theory

used as an anchor of the study.

Part Two, Objectives of the Study, presents the general and specific

objectives of the study.

Part Three, Significance of the Study, presents the benefits that may be

derived from the results of the study.

Part Four, Definition of Terms, defines important terms that are used in

the study.

Part Five, Delimitation of the Study, specifies the scope and coverage of

the research.
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COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION
Iloilo City
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Background and Theoretical Framework of the Study

I am a Nigerian, who has lived in the Philippines, Iloilo City to be precise,

for 11 years. As an international student, it took me almost three years to cope

with the environment, the locals, and other nationals in Iloilo City. One of my

major struggles was the language barrier. As a Nigerian, communication for me

is different. I would never start a conversation by asking “how old are you?” but

here it is the best way to start. In class, it took me three years before I became

comfortable around my classmates in terms of communication and also in

understanding some of the cultural differences, where I had to learn to live with

them. When I arrived in the City of Iloilo in 2011, there were just three Nigerians

in my school, including me, but as time went on, with increased globalization, we

know we are not alone anymore. So, I wanted to help other international

students see they are not alone in these struggles, and help them express

themselves, so this research can also help others.

As a result of increased globalization, more linguists and scholars focus

on the challenges in the language and cultural differences, time zones, listening,

clarity, consistency, frequency, lack of trust, and communication barriers in

multicultural international environments. Furthermore, because the world is fast

becoming multicultural, educational institutions are becoming increasingly

ethnically diverse. Therefore, it is critical to research and assess the effects of

language barriers on the academic experiences of cross-border students who

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come from different continents in search of more excellent knowledge and

higher education.

According to the research on the topic of interethnic education, the

majority of international students struggled with a variety of difficult stressors

when they first arrived in a new country under the conditions of a new cultural

environment with its social norms, such as language barriers, adjustment issues,

homesickness, loneliness, and cultural differences (Sawir et al., 2008).

Among the stressors mentioned above, language barriers, which refer to

a barrier to communication between two people who are unable to speak a

common language, appeared to be among the most difficult problems for

international students (Mori, 2000). The stress of not knowing the host

language well is a barrier to successful cultural adjustment (Poyrazli et al.,

2001; Yeh & Inose, 2003). Numerous studies found a link between linguistic

competence and academic achievement.

According to numerous studies, language proficiency, which is the ability to

understand and communicate in a language, is the most difficult aspect of academic

learning for international students (Lee, 1997; Lin & Yi, 1997; Nasrin, 2001). In

addition, issues with oral and written communication, a lack of

familiarity with local contextual references, a lack of vocabulary, and issues with

academic writing standards were all signs of difficulty, according to Sawir et al.

(2012).
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According to language barrier research, students' proficiency in the host

language influenced their academic achievement, social interactions, and overall

adjustment to the host culture. International students faced challenges in their

academic lives, such as communication difficulties with professors and other

students due to language barriers. These difficulties may, in turn, lead to anxiety,

education, and societal stress. Making friends, telling jokes in the host

community's language, and establishing a new network of social support can be

difficult for international students. According to Stoynoff (1997), language

competence was related to first-year students' academic success.

International students frequently faced difficulties adjusting to their new

environment due to their international experiences. Learning experiences would

be unique due to the possibility of encountering diverse cultures and educational

systems abroad. Studying in Asian countries, for example, is not the same as

learning English in the United Kingdom. As a result, students were sometimes

required to cultivate adaptable personalities (Akter et al., 2020).

Due to various learning challenges, many international students struggled

to understand the local educational system and medium of instruction. Even if

students had a high level of English proficiency, they might struggle to understand

their instructor's accent. They had difficulty understanding the lectures and were

unwilling to participate in class discussions and other activities. Despite having

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great ideas, many students experienced anxiety because they were unable to

communicate in English during exams and research projects. Another issue is

pronunciation, which could make public speaking embarrassing for some

students. Their ability to balance work and social lives and adjust to a new

country and its customs may impede their academic progress (Bukhari, 2018).

Although many international students who come to the Philippines to

study also speak English, students must overcome several linguistic challenges.

Language barriers are one of the international students' most significant

challenges and they directly impact their well-being. Language issues in and out

of the classroom are becoming a growing concern. As a result, there are

numerous obstacles faced.

According to Smith and Khawanja (2011), language is the most significant

barrier to acculturation for international students. Other nationalities have visited

the Philippines solely for educational purposes, as the country is highly educated.

Thus, cultural and linguistic barriers can either hinder or help international

students as they learn new skills to bring back home.

International students choose the Philippines for a variety of reasons,

including higher education and economic stability. According to Infante (2011),

South Koreans choose the Philippines to improve their oral English communication

skills. Visitors from China and the United States are drawn to the Philippines by
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the country's tourist attractions, while Iranians are drawn to the country by the

low cost of education.

However, the country's educational system is facing significant challenges

as a result of the influx of international students. Because of the cultural and

orientation differences between the countries and the Philippines, it is to be

expected that efforts to accommodate international students will place a

premium on a variety of academic norms and procedures. As a result,

curriculum, administration, facilities, teaching and learning strategies, and even

the weather will be problematic (Infante et al., 2011).

As newcomers, international students face a lot of challenges that can

obstruct their academic progress. The first characteristic is their command of

the English language (accent, pronunciation, slang). Nonetheless, there may be

some additional pressures present. For example, many international students

reported that classroom learning was brisk due to the numerous modifications

they must make. This was related to a variety of cultural and social distinctions,

such as Malaysia's educational system and other cultural and linguistic aspects of

communication. All while attempting to absorb new information and ideas

(Al-Zubaidi & Rechards, 2015).

Communication between Filipino and Nigerian students in Iloilo City can

be described as disorderly at times. Even if the spellings are sometimes the same
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or the same thing is conveyed using a different word, Filipinos have very distinct

pronunciations, which Nigerians believe makes them superior English

communicators and speakers.

The rationale for this research was hinged on the fact that, as an

international student, I had encountered some nuances around the above-

mentioned matters. Moreover, during my first few years as an undergraduate

student in the Philippines, it was pretty tasking to navigate these issues and

bridge the cultural gaps. Therefore, this research would serve as collated

empirical evidence of some of the struggles international students face in the

country, and the coping mechanism they employ to face these struggles. This

research explored the communications barriers and coping mechanisms: the

struggles of international students.

Furthermore, the researcher also noticed very little research on the impact

of cross-cultural nuances on students' behaviors, relationships, and performances

in tertiary institutions abroad. In addition, even fewer studies have been

conducted on the subject matter in Asian countries.

Theoretical Framework

The study is anchored on the Second Order of Cybernetics Theory, which is

also known as the Cybernetics of Cybernetics Theory by Heinz Von Foerster

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(1974), and the Communication Theory of Identity, or CTI, by Michael

Hecht, Jennifer Warren, Eura Jung, and Janice Krieger (1993).

The Second Order of Cybernetics Theory, also known as the Cybernetics of

Cybernetics Theory, highlights communication as a social construct that exists as a

system of varying parts interacting with one another continuously. Through the

evolution of communication and how interaction occurs in our society, the

communication processes have an effect on every component. For example, the

SMCR model explains the variables involved in a communication process, but it

does not take into account how these variables influence one another. For the sake

of this study, the researcher would, therefore, be adopting the Cybernetics of

Cybernetics or the Second Order Cybernetics.

Second-order cybernetics, also known as the Cybernetics of Cybernetics

and the New Cybernetics, was developed between 1968 and 1975 in response to

the effectiveness and implications of cybernetic analyses of circularity. When

cybernetics is subject to criticism and cybernetics understandings, it is cybernetics.

Unlike in Western science, the role of the observer is valued and acknowledged in

cybernetics. As a result, cybernetics considers observing systems rather than

observed systems.

In second-order cybernetics, the observer is regarded as a component of

the observed. Reality is self-referential and has no external references. Only

negative feedback is defined within the system's closed, intact boundaries. The
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importance of internal structure and structural determinism is emphasized. The

focus is on mental functions (Becvar & Becvar, 2006).

The second theory to support the study is the Communication Theory of

Identity (CTI) by Michael Hecht, Jennifer Warren, Eura Jung, and Janice Krieger

(1993).

The theory explores the topic of personal identity and your composite

picture of yourself as a person. There are three cultural contexts incorporated: the

individual, the community, and society. Hecht et al. (1993) explain identity as a

joining point between the individual and society, and communication is the link

that allows this intersection to occur. The identity is a "code" that defines the

membership in various communities, a code that consists of symbols, like certain

kinds of clothing or possessions, and words, such as self-descriptions or things

commonly said, and the meanings the self and others ascribe to these things.

The CTI identifies four dimensions of identity: feelings (the affective

dimension), thoughts (the cognitive dimension), actions (the behavioral

dimension), and a sense of a relationship to the transcendent (the spiritual). Since

it is so all-encompassing, identity is the source of your motivations and

expectations in life, and it has staying power—it is enduring. This does not mean

that identities, once formed, never change. Rather, while there is a core of a stable

identity, identity is never fixed but always emergent.

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The CTI defines communication as the means by which identity

is established and the mechanism by which it changes as well. Identity, in one’s

own eyes and those of others, is established when one interacts socially with other

human beings across their lifespan. An individual internalizes the views and

reactions of others in social interaction and, conversely, shows a sense of

identity by how he or she expresses himself or herself and responds to others.

The subjective dimension of identity is his or her personal sense of self, while the

ascribed dimension is what others say about him or her (Littlejohn & Foss, 2005).

These theories are very important for this study because the researcher

is the subject when approaching the data. With the help of the reflective essay,

the researcher was able to identify with their identity through their feelings,

thoughts, and actions. The researcher is a living system that has been affected

and molded by the stories, which would be the output of the respondents.

Furthermore, this is important because the researcher, being a foreign student at

the university, is also a subject of the research.

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Conceptual Framework

Figure 1. A Scientic Diagram showing the relationship among the study variables.
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The Self-1 is the researcher before the process of the data collection,

where the feelings, thoughts, and actions are based on what the researcher knows

about themselves. This would be the collective knowledge of experiences which is

part of the researcher’s journal or diary before the process.

The Observed System is the stories from the international students about

the different communication barriers they struggled with and the coping

mechanisms they employed in the process of the barriers. These will be the

stories that are the outputs of the system.

The Self-2 is the researcher during and after the process of collecting

data, reading the stories and writing the stories. The researcher in this process

will use the reflective essay to detail the change that will happen and how it will

also affect the researcher. The researcher is a living system that will keep

changing throughout the process.

Objectives of the Study

Generally, this study aimed to explore communication barriers and

coping mechanisms that encapsulated the struggles of international students in

Iloilo.

Specifically, it answered the following questions:

1. What are the communication barriers encountered by the international

students, when socializing with the locals?

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2. What coping mechanisms were employed by the international student

to face these challenges?

3. How was the Researcher changed by the communication barriers and

coping mechanisms of the study participants?

Significance of the Study

The findings of this study may be beneficial to the following groups of

people in the following context:

International Students. This is because the primary goal of this research

is to smooth over any rough edges in the fields of global communication, culture,

and languages. Its findings would look great on the shelves of university libraries

and international relations departments worldwide. In addition, students from all

over the world would be able to understand the numerous communication

difficulties caused by linguistic and cultural differences and how these barriers

might affect how people live in their chosen host country.

Universities with International Programs. The study's findings would

inform and raise awareness among universities about the linguistic and cultural

barriers that international students face. It would enrich the body of knowledge

on communication dynamics in general and interpersonal relationships in

particular, in addition to contributing to the development of policies to support

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international students and provide them with a positive international student

experience. It would also provide advice on how colleges could sell themselves

to prospective international students.

Communication Scholars. The study's findings would also help educators

and communication specialists understand international students' widespread

linguistic and cultural challenges. This would enable them to manage the

communication process with international students effectively.

Future Researchers. The result of the study may motivate future

researchers to improve communication with international students in Iloilo City,

Philippines, for projects and classes. The findings of this study may inspire

future researchers to conduct similar research on global communication and

education. They should thoroughly confirm new research findings and

investigate additional variables that may influence cross-cultural and linguistic

barriers among international students. The findings of this study could serve as

a foundation for future research on intercultural interaction among students.

Definition of Terms

For the purpose of clarity and better understanding of the study,

important terms are defined conceptually and operationally as follows:

Communication Barriers--refer to anything that prevents us from receiving

and understanding the messages others use to convey their information,

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ideas, and thoughts (Kumbakonam, 2016).

In this study, communication barriers referred to some of the basic or

major misinterpretations that might occur in the different communications that

happen between foreigners.

Coping Mechanisms--refer to the cognitive and behavioral approaches that

we use to manage internal and external stressors (Algorani & Gupta, 2021).

In this study, coping mechanisms referred to the ways international

students applied to adapt to their various struggles or stressors in terms of

communication.

International Students--refers to students who move to another country

(the host country) for the purpose of pursuing tertiary or higher education e.g.,

college or university (Bista, 2016).

In this study, international students referred to the respondents of the

study who were based in Iloilo City.

Struggles--refer to specific experiences that students have that lead to

difficulty in maintaining communication progress (Blaauw, 2016).

In this study, struggles referred to the forceful effort of restraint

international students faced in their experiences.

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Delimitation of the Study

This study aimed to explore the communication barriers and coping

mechanisms that encapsulated the struggles of international students. It is

limited to the communication barriers and coping mechanisms experienced by

five (5) international students from various universities in Iloilo City.

A semi-structured questionnaire, observation, and reflection were used

to gather data for the study. All data gathered was compiled and interpreted

using phenomenology as the qualitative research approach.

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Chapter 2

Review of Related Literature

This chapter delves deep into the empirical aspect of the research. Related

works of literature are reviewed as it relates to the existing variables of the

research. The conceptual review is divided into four parts: (1) International

Students in the Philippines; (2) Communication Barriers; (3) Empirical Reviews;

and, (5) Summary.

Part One, Language and Cultural Barriers, presents conceptual literature

and related studies explicitly focusing on language and cultural barriers.

Part Two, International Students in the Philippines, presents discussions

and related studies of international students in the Philippines and their

experiences.

Part Three, Empirical Reviews, presents the reviews of the many aspects

of the empirical study that hold some significance to the study.

Part Four, Summary, presents a summary of the concepts, principles,

and related studies that support the study.

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International Students in the Philippines

International students come from all over the world to study abroad, and

they encounter a variety of problems before, during, and after the application

process. International students faced stress before the start of classes as a result

of studying for numerous tests, applying to the chosen programme by shipping

papers abroad, and waiting for a response. Even if an overseas student's

application was accepted, their stay in the Philippines would be far from over. A

brand-new chapter in their academic and social life was just beginning (Aydinol,

2013).

In terms of their ability to pursue higher education and have a chance at

success, international students were comparable to domestic or local students. It

could be difficult for international students who left their home countries to

pursue higher education in other nations and adjust to new social and academic

conditions (Bista, 2016).

Learning can be complex for international students inside and outside the

classroom. According to Payind's (1979) study of Afghan and Iranian students at

various U.S. institutions, the most significant academic issues for both groups

were finishing written exams in the same amount of time as American students,

improving English to the level required to pursue academic work, communicating

ideas in English, presenting oral reports, competing for high grades with American

students, taking notes, and writing research papers. According to Payind (1979),
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the academic difficulties stemmed from the students' insufficient command of the

English language and, to a lesser extent, the fact that their home countries'

educational systems differed from those in the United States. In addition, forms

for registration, financial aid, and student employment were difficult for Asian

students to complete.

International students must go through a protracted adjustment period in

which they must change their perceptions of themselves and their surroundings,

which influenced how they conducted their lives. Members of the dominant

culture frequently failed to understand the international student, leaving the

international students to figure out who they were (Erichsen, 2011 as cited in

Aydinol, 2013).

International students go to the Philippines in large numbers. An

international student is always looking for a home away from home, which can

only be found in situations that offer a familiar culture, safety, and growth

opportunities. Even though the Philippines is generally regarded as a secure

country, it is critical to be cautious of one's surroundings at all times. This

unambiguous regulation also applies in the Philippines (RocApply, 2022).

According to the President of the Philippines' most recent memorandum

in Executive Order No. 285, only schools with programmes accredited by the

Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines (FAAP) or with the

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equivalent accreditation by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the

Bureau of Immigration (BI) will be authorized by the Commission to admit foreign

students. The CHED is expected to keep an up-to-date list of these schools, in

collaboration with the BI, taking into account their unique obligations under

applicable laws and regulations. Copies of the list must be given to the National

Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the Department of International Affairs (DFA), the

National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), and schools that are authorized

to accept foreign pupils. Each authorized school must set up a unit for

international students (ched.gov.ph, 2015).

The Philippines is one of the world's largest archipelago nations. It is

located in the western Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Southeast Asia. Its islands

are divided into three geopolitical provinces: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. This

country, which has a total size of 300,000 square kilometers and a population of

111,100,000 people, contains eleven unique racial and ethnic groups (as of

August 6, 2021). Each ethnic group has its own language. English is the primary

commercial, government, educational, and everyday language for the vast

majority of multilingual Filipinos. Filipino is the national language, which is

mostly derived from Tagalog; the archipelago is home to eleven languages and

87 dialects. Some Filipinos, in addition to Arabic, Chinese, and Nippongo, speak

Spanish (Maps of World, 2021).

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Filipinos are known for their hospitality to outsiders, musical and creative

ability, romanticism, strong religiosity, and bravery. They also enjoy politics,

fiestas, and music. This study illustrated how foreigners deal with communication

difficulties by displaying the various English communication methods used by

foreigners, including Filipinos and those from other countries, based on their

colonial masters (Maps of World, 2021).

Despite the fact that it is not anchored in national culture and has never

been regarded as a language of national identity, English is indisputably the most

prestigious language in South Asia (Dasgupta, 1993 as cited in Mohanty, 2013).

In truth, English has become the dominant language in this region and

many others around the world, frequently profiting from native languages'

competing linguistic identities and claims (Mohanty, 2013)

Filipinos were introduced to a strange new world through English.

Filipinos began acquiring a language and way of life that were foreign to their

customs as a result of American textbooks. American colonial and educational

initiatives also introduced American institutions and concepts to the Philippines.

English serves a practical purpose in the Philippines by facilitating

communication among the country's diverse linguistic groups, but its primary

appeal may lie in improving Filipinos' social and economic opportunities, which

may be the primary reason for the country's generally favorable perception of

English (Jeffery, 2017).

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According to Wardaugh (1987), English looks to be a distinct language in

terms of culture and education. He contends that because English is a language

that nearly everyone speaks to some extent, it tends to transcend cultural

constructs such as social, political, economic, and religious systems, functioning

independently of any particular culture, in terms of either race or group, to the

extent that it can benefit everyone or no one. This implies that learning English is

essentially a value-free process (Wardaugh, 1987 as cited in Jeffery, 2017).

Cultural values are a component that simplifies social and academic life for

the great majority of overseas students. Iloilo City, being one of the main

educational hubs in the Philippines for international students, delivers a sense of

home with its vibrant warmth and cultural characteristics.

Although most institutions require international students to speak English,

language barriers remain among the most common cross-cultural barriers. Due to

different accents, quick speech, and slang or idiomatic expressions, international

students may face academic challenges or social isolation due to language barriers.

Moreover, even if one is fluent in a second language, many nuances make it

challenging to communicate effectively with native speakers or in an academic

setting (McCormack, 2019).

Misconceptions, preconceptions, norms and roles, attitudes and values,

and ethnocentrism are a few examples of the invisible barriers that cultural
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difficulties can create. International students should focus on removing invisible

cultural communication barriers in light of ongoing globalization. If we want to

foster a pleasant communication environment, we must remove these barriers.

Individuals will also benefit from expanded opportunities and a broader

geographical perspective as a result of this. When people from various nations,

races, cultures, and regions come together, a slew of serious issues can arise.

Living in a multicultural setting brings with it a plethora of challenges, tensions,

and misunderstandings. People's perspectives are influenced by adversity and

conflict. People must devise a method of achieving communication clarity in an

internal multicultural environment (Delecta & Raman, 2014).

Due to cultural differences, relocating to a new country can make it

difficult to establish cross-cultural connections. This is because culture

determines how our society is structured, how we interact, and which traits or

acts we prefer to prioritize. As a result, international students must navigate

various new procedures with little (if any) cultural context when applying to

institutions and attempting to assimilate. In other words, individuals must

develop appropriate communication and interpersonal skills for their new

circumstances (McCormack, 2019).

Since English has become a global language, international students from

non-English-speaking countries are finding it difficult to acculturate and succeed

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in the West. Because English plays such an important role in the global linguistic

system, their ability to communicate in English is critical (Smith & Khawanja,

2011). Because English is the official language of the Philippines and is widely

spoken there, many higher education programmes are taught entirely in English.

Cultural background has a significant impact on communication between

two or more people and is frequently emphasized in discussions on

communication dynamics. Culture is a method of thinking and acting in which

members of a group acquire and accept a shared set of attitudes, values,

conventions, and beliefs. This shared system of fundamental assumptions and

worldly solutions is passed down from generation to generation to maintain

survival. The unwritten and written rules and laws that govern how people

interact with one another constitute a culture. Members of a culture can be

differentiated by the similarities they share. They may have a common

geography, religion, race, or ethnicity (communicationtheory.org, 2013).

In the majority of Asian civilizations, for example, it is largely passive.

While it is frightening to Americans. The vast majority of European civilizations

are frequently more aggressive. Our own cultural orientation, of course, shapes

our communication tactics and patterns. Easterners' slow, leisurely pace, the

British's formality, Americans' casualness and matter-of-factness, Germans'

thoroughness, and the French's severe etiquette and politeness of expression

are cultural qualities (communicationtheory.org, 2013).

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The cultural and lifestyle diversity given by international students

enriches Iloilo City, which has a population of 477,695 as of 2021 (World

Population Review). Non-immigrants, including students, immigrants, including

those who work or are married to Filipinos, and tourists, whose visa extensions

are usually renewed every two months, are the three types of foreigners in Iloilo.

Foreign nationals who have lived or are expected to live in the Philippines

for at least a year after arrival are counted, with the exception of diplomats,

non-Filipinos, and civilian foreign nationals who have a primary residence in the

Philippines, as well as foreign visitors who have stayed or are expected to stay for

at least a year.

The high value of their currency, which is linked to retirement, a low cost

of living, and investments related to these countries' economic success, was listed

as a motivation for foreign migration to the Philippines. Retirees in the Philippines

may expect a high-quality lifestyle at a reasonable cost due to the country's

dynamic culture, friendliness, English-speaking population, natural resources,

and tropical climate (Caluza, 2015).

The cultural ties and financial contributions of these immigrants would

have a significant impact on the Philippines' sociology, cultural drift, and

demographic dynamics. Foreigners visit the Philippines for a variety of reasons,

including retirement, low cost of living, and investment opportunities, in addition

to the high value of their currency. One of these aspects is education. It is

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widely acknowledged that the Philippines offers one of the world's lowest

educational prices, particularly for higher education.

Despite unbridled globalization, the Philippines continues to provide a

high-quality education to both domestic and international students. The

government began recruiting international students to study medicine and

agriculture in the Philippines in the 1980s. After ten years, several colleges and

universities offered short-term programmes in maritime studies, hotel and

restaurant management, aviation, and English. Since 2000, when the Philippines

became an education hub in Asia, international students have found it easier to

obtain a visa. Furthermore, the Philippine government sponsored exchange

programmes between the Philippines and International Colleges, namely in

Australia, the United States, South Korea, Canada, and Europe (Tempo, 2012). As

a result of the foregoing, the number of foreign students enrolling in Philippine

universities has increased. For example, a 48 percent reduction from 2,323 in 2001

to 5,136 in 2006, but only 2,665 in 2008, was significant (Tayag, 2013). Despite a

significant reduction, there were 7,776 international students registered in

Philippine Higher Education Institutions in 2011 (CHED, n.d.). According to the

Philippine Bureau of Immigration, the rise in the number of international students

showed that the Philippines has been becoming an important educational hub in
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the Asia-Pacific area. The growing number of overseas students studying in the

Philippines at universities demonstrates the country's improving educational

standards and instruction quality (Aning, 2011).

Nonetheless, widespread usage of the Filipino language throughout the

country is unavoidable. Aside from the fact that Filipino is the country's official

language, as stated in Sections 6 through 9 of Article XIV of the Philippine

Constitution, code-switching between Filipino and English has been critical in

academic contexts. Academics continue to engage in a contentious debate about

the growing prevalence of code-switching. According to Bernardo (2005), it could

be a "legitimate and potent resource for learning and teaching for bilingual

students and teachers," and Filipinos should relax (rather than strictly enforce)

language prescription in formal classes so that students and teachers could gain

a deeper understanding of topics (Ancheta & Perez, 2017).

Provided the comprehensive usage of Filipino within the Philippines,

foreign students are now experiencing problems in classroom discussions

wherein the Filipino language is used as a medium of instruction. Learning a

second language is currently becoming essential for foreign students. As Cook

(1996) stated, knowing another language may mean getting a job, a chance to

get educated, the ability to take a fuller part in the life of one’s own coming on

the opportunity to emigrate to another; an expansion of one’s literary and

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cultural horizons; the expression of one’s political opinions or religious beliefs

(Ancheta & Perez, 2017).

To varied degrees, everyone is capable of practicing culture. Aside from

the culture of the community in which one is raised, there are a variety of other

cultures in which one can actively participate or gradually retreat. A person is

forced to choose between his local culture and the mainstream culture to which

he is exposed regularly. Conflicts between civilizations arise when someone

believes their culture is superior to another's (communicationtheory.org, 2014).

An example is from my own experience: Iloilo City residents tend to be

unaccustomed when they see people with darker skin tones living nearby. As a

result, when Africans visited for the first time, they found the constant staring

strange. Even when they became conscious, Filipinos continued to point, lift their

brows and lips, or even whisper to themselves. Africans became embarrassed

since it could not be ignored, but they learned over time that Filipinos often

"chismis" about people even if they are in plain sight.

According to Lim and Pham’s study (2016) "If you're a foreigner in a

foreign country, you stick together: Technologically Mediated Communication a

nd Acculturation of Migrant Students, New Media, and Society," migrant

students learned how to deal with the problems of relocating. They discovered

that communicating with family and friends back home could boost a student's

happiness while interacting with co-nationals and local students could help with
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integration. The study's purpose was to assess how internet communication aid

migrant students' acculturation and adaptation and to examine how keeping in

touch with loved ones during the adaptation process in both the student's

country and the host country home could be critical to their sense of well-being.

Lim and Pham (2016) of the Singapore University of Technology and

Development stressed the impact of social media on the rate of acculturation of

foreign students overseas in their study of Indonesian and Vietnamese

university students in Singapore. While the need to communicate with loved ones

in their respective home countries would always exist, they said that international

students might use social media to better understand their host communities and

grasp the sociocultural dynamics of their host country. Furthermore, while this

was going on, international students must try to band together. Online social

networks active in both the home and host countries, in addition to decreasing

acculturative stress and challenges, allowed cross-cultural dialogue (Park et al.,

2014). The study, which included 23 Indonesian students and 37 Vietnamese

students, was conducted at a famous state institution in Singapore between

February and December 2014. Participants were recruited through Facebook,

mobile devices, and/or emails. The initial wave of participants was referred to by

personal connections via social networks and other personal contacts, etc., using
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the snowball sampling method. It was revealed that 75% of participants from

Indonesia and 55% of participants from Vietnam talked with their families at least

four to six times per week.

It was also necessary to assess immigrants' proclivity to disclose sensitive

information to one another based on a few cognitive and behavioral cues. On the

basis of cognitive and behavioral levels, several communication patterns were

conceptualized. The complexity of an immigrant's perspective on the host society,

as well as the immigrant's level of behavioral participation in the host culture,

were indicators of cognitive level (Kim, 2020).

According to the author, the three key characteristics that determine an

immigrant's communication patterns were access to host communication

channels, language proficiency, and acculturation motivation. The notion was

supported by a study of 400 randomly selected Korean immigrants in the

Chicago metropolitan area (Kim, 2020).

Caluza (2015) in his study entitled “Immigration of Foreign Nationals in

the Philippines” tried to identify the main cause why people would relocate to the

Philippines. The researcher used both descriptive and narrative research methods.

To shed light on the hidden dimension, the cloud-collected data set was

quantitatively investigated, and the resulting output was qualitatively assessed

using reports, published papers, and scientific research outputs.

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Except for members of diplomatic missions and non-Filipinos employed by

international organizations, the 2010 Philippine Census of Population is open to

foreign nationals who have been or are anticipated to be in the Philippines for at

least a year (Philippine Census, 2012). As a result of this situation, immigrants to

the Philippines came from a variety of countries. According to the Philippines

Statistics Authority (PSA), foreign nationals made up 4.2% of the state's total 2.9

million people/movers. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation

and Development (OECD), the Philippines had 148,150 foreign immigrants at the

time of the most recent PSA census, which tallied 101,600, 000 Filipinos, or 0.15

percent of the total population. The causes of these influxes of foreign nationals

to the Philippines were investigated. These elements revealed the nations'

unstated characteristics in terms of their shared experiences and the importance

of comprehending the event (Padua, 2015). It was critical to identify the cracks

that were causing these migrants to live, work, and attend school in the

Philippines; this knowledge might then be included in population dynamics,

sociology, and cultural drift (Caluza, 2015).

"A Critical Review of International Students' Adjustment Research from a

Deleuzian Perspective," like Vasilopoulos' work, evaluated the adjustments and

acculturation of international students using both quantitative and qualitative

approaches. The team attempted to distinguish between two research threads.

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First, the problem-solving approach, which was heavily influenced by quantitative

research, sought to identify linear causal relationships between discrete

characteristics such as linguistic ability, social interaction, motivation and agency,

attitudes, academic achievement, and intercultural acculturation. Despite the fact

that many individuals regarded these conclusions as final, numerous studies

showed the complication of the variables and the difficulty of establishing causal

and correlative links. The following line of investigation took a poststructuralist

approach to language socialization and identity. This qualitative method was

significantly more adaptable with inclusive concepts of language, identity, and

communities. Furthermore, the acceptance of multilingualism and transnationalism

took into account historical occurrences as well as the prospect of future global

mobility, reflecting the reality of current international education. However, there

were theoretical and methodological limits to post-structuralist research, including

the difficulty to define and examine distinct and shifting subjectivities. The

individual change was difficult to express because of the complexities of how

social context supported consistency or change and how human agency played a

role in this equation.

Vasilopoulos (2016) reviewed the literature on language and adaptation

and suggested how Deleuze and Guattari's ontology may be applied to language

and adaptation for international students. The concept of "becoming" was

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introduced to emphasize the subtle differences and uniqueness that international

students may encounter when engaging with their new environment. The

importance of context was underlined via the lens of assemblage, de-centering

the roles of individuals, institutions, and languages. Furthermore, the term

"adjustment" was replaced with the word "becoming" to emphasize the idea

that there has been no widely accepted definition of what it meant to be an

international student. Students must be made aware of acculturation and

adjustment on how events, speeds, and intensities may influence the starting

conditions under which a student joins the assemblage, how the university

produces distinguishing characteristics in each student, and how the university

itself evolves with each new student.

Caluza (2015) was able to outline his analysis by expanding on several

causes of migration to the Philippines. International students' motivations span

from curiosity to education. Vasilopoulos (2016), on the other hand, was able to

demonstrate some of the student's acclimatization strategies upon arrival in the

Philippines. Every student who enters the country hopes to graduate with a

diploma. More information on how to overcome linguistic and cultural barriers

will be provided in future publications.

Joseph-Collins (2013) conducted a study entitled "International Students'

Isolation in the Philippines: Causes, Effects, and Coping Strategies". The study's

goal was to look into the isolation-related experiences of overseas students in

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the Philippines. In addition, this study looked at how international students in the

Philippines dealt with feelings of loneliness while pursuing academic aspirations.

The researcher looked at the qualitative study approach, which allowed her to

find recurring themes that could inspire further research on the topic of isolation.

What social experiences did overseas students have in the Philippines? How did

loneliness affect academic performance and personal well-being? What coping

strategies did overseas students use to deal with loneliness?

According to Joseph-Collins (2013), the findings of this study were

organized into six separate topics. These included the amount of time spent

participating in social activities, the causes of isolation, friend preferences, the

repercussions, coping mechanisms, and advice. Codes were generated for

categories that appeared at least three times. All beginning categories that

were featured only once or twice in this study were ignored in the analysis.

According to Joseph-Collins (2013), the problem of isolation among

overseas students enrolled in Philippine higher education institutions was

substantial. This study included preliminary data in an effort to comprehend the

causes, consequences, and coping strategies used by international students

studying in the Philippines. Without a doubt, a heavy academic load was one of

the primary factors. Lack of cultural awareness among both Filipino and

international students tended to have a significant impact on international

students' isolation. International students' academic performance, as well as

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their emotional and physical health, declined as a result of the impacts of

isolation. According to the study's findings, higher education institutions would

be more likely to succeed if they provided cultural sensitivity training to

administrators, professors, staff, and both Filipino and international students.

Given the current state of globalization, everyone requires global citizenship

training. This proposal also stated that discriminatory behavior and the use of a

language other than the official language of instruction should be discouraged in

higher education institutions with international students. As a result, more

opportunities for true socialization would be available to everyone.

Coping mechanisms are ways in which external or internal stress is

managed, adapted to, or acted upon. Folkman and Lazarus (2012) in Sincero

(2012) defined coping as "constantly changing cognitive and behavioral efforts to

manage specific external and/or internal demands that are appraised as taxing".

People all over the world experience one form of stress or the other

irrespective of their race, color and ethnicity, and professional or academic

background (Donkoh et al., 2011).

Coping mechanisms are also the strategies people often use in the face

of stress and/ or trauma to help manage painful or difficult emotions. Coping

mechanisms can help people adjust to stressful events while helping them

maintain their emotional well-being.

Coping styles can be problem-focused, also called instrumental; or

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emotion-focused. Problem-focused coping strategies are typically associated with

methods of dealing with the problem in order to reduce stress, while emotion-

focused mechanisms can help people handle any feelings of distress that result

from the problem.

Further, coping mechanisms can be broadly categorized as active or

avoidant. Active coping mechanisms usually involve an awareness of the stressor

and conscious attempts to reduce stress. Avoidant coping mechanisms, on the

other hand, are characterized by ignoring or otherwise avoiding the problem

(Sincero, 2012).

According to Bailey (2021), there are two types of coping mechanisms:

the adaptive, and the maladaptive coping mechanism, which the researcher

used to analyze the data in this research.

Adaptive coping mechanisms empower you to change a stressful situation

or adjust your emotional response to stress. This can also be strategies that

involve a change of mindset or a revision of thoughts. Denial is the most common

coping mechanism under this category. Examples would be for the international

student to join extracurricular activities in the school to get more involved and to

actively participate in class for problem-solving skills.

Maladaptive coping mechanisms are negative ways of dealing with stress.

Maladaptive coping commonly occurs in people who have experienced childhood

trauma or abuse. Though these behaviors might temporarily distract you from
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your stress, they can eventually lead to physical and emotional harm. An example

can be escape, meaning instead of getting involved, the international student

would decide to stay away and keep to themselves, to avoid any form of

confrontation.

Communication Barriers: Language and Cultural

Language is defined as the medium through which the process of

communication takes place. Language in communication can either be verbal,

such as using words to read, write and speak, or non-verbal such as using signs,

facial expressions, or body language. Even with the different means of

communication, messages are sometimes not comprehended or simply

misunderstood. Such breaks in communication leading to a failure in the process

are called ‘noise’ or ‘communication barriers’. These barriers include cultural

diversities, ambiguity in communication, and language barriers

(communicationtheory.org, 2014).

Social interaction is a function of human communication. It is an essential

part of daily life. It entails a sender and a receiver creating, exchanging, and

sharing concepts, knowledge, points of view, details, emotions, and experiences.

Individuals, groups, societies, and entire countries all require the ability to

communicate in order to survive. Language is the most widely used mode of

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communication. It is critical in assisting people build relationships. Language also

destroys human relationships because it separates people from one another.

Even in this day and age of globalization and communication, language remains

a barrier to communicating with others. Language barriers are a common issue

in the worlds of international commerce, travel, and social interaction. They have

an impact on how we live each day (Buarqoub, 2019).

Communication, according to Roon (2012) is a dynamic process. It greatly

transcends what we say. Speech, language, and communication are all terms that

are frequently used interchangeably. The actual verbal output of your mouth,

whether words or sounds, is referred to as speech. Language is the use of words

you know, as well as their meaning and grammar (Roon, 2012). Roon's statement

here only emphasized the importance of language in facilitating meaningful

communication among any group of people. Was the communicator's language

understood by the listener? Consider the case where different dialects were

spoken in different parts of a country. When a communicator was unable to

comprehend the precise meaning of a word, the process's purpose was

accidentally defeated. Speech patterns or mannerisms of the speaker were also

important. Another thing to keep in mind, according to Roon, was the importance

of feedback, which would complete the communication process.

According to Koontz and O’Donnell (2005), communication may be

understood “as the exchange of information at least between two persons with
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a view to creating an understanding in the mind of the other, whether or not it

gives rise to conflict.” And, whether or not communication is effective can be

judged on the basis of the intended results (Roon, 2012).

Nonverbal cues are an important part of communication.

In addition to body language, this includes gestures, distance, eye contact,

clothing, posture, facial expression, and tone of voice. This must be understood

by all parties involved in the communication process. When a speaker exhibits

inappropriate body language, the listener may make incorrect assumptions,

perceive things differently, or lose trust in them. Therefore, nonverbal

communication is almost as important as verbal responses when participating in

a meeting or a job interview. According to Communicationtheory.org (2013), a

Filipino's smile might indicate anger. The loop formed by the tips of the thumb and

index finger may signal agreement in North America, but it may be considered

obscene in the Southern States.

Nonverbal communication in person includes body language. When

speaking with someone we do not know well, it is easy to misinterpret

someone's tone. For example, sarcasm can appear as a direct statement, leading

to misunderstandings. Sarcasm is usually easy to spot when spoken, but it

cannot be easy to spot when written as sarcasm is successfully delivered with

facial expressions, gestures, and tone.

For communication to be effective, nonverbal cues must match verbal

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cues. Words are only the first piece of the puzzle in determining the meaning of

communication. We are naturally aware of this. When an employee exclaims,

"That is just great!" with a huge smile on her face and a rising tone, you know

she is pleased with the outcome. If, on the other hand, an employee says,

"That is just great," with a glum expression and a flat or downward tone, the

situation is far from ideal. When we cannot hear the vocal tone, see

expressions, or read body language, we risk missing a lot of what someone is

trying to say (Doyle, 2020).

Through communication, people learn about acceptance, love, and

empathy. As a result, studying interpersonal communication is critical, especially

when people from different cultures or languages are involved.

Culture is a way of thinking and acting that entails learning and adopting

a set of attitudes, values, norms, and beliefs from other group members. To

ensure survival, this shared system of fundamental assumptions and worldly

solutions is passed down from generation to generation. A culture comprises

unwritten and written rules and laws that govern how people interact with one

another. People who belong to the same culture can be identified by their

similarities. They may be related by geography, race, or ethnicity. Because we

learn cultural customs around the same time we learn to communicate, our

cultural perspective on the world and everything in it eventually influences our

communication style. Culture influences the language we use and the way we
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act. Language barriers are aspects of language use that hinder comprehension

or make communication impossible. Language barriers address difficult-to-

understand aspects of language use. This could be due to a variety of factors,

such as differences in educational backgrounds, literacy levels, and the country

or region where the language is spoken.

Language barriers are those features of language use that result in

miscomprehension or complete loss of communication. Language barriers deal

with aspects of language use that make it difficult to understand. This could be

because of a variety of factors like differences in educational background, level

of literacy, and country or area of the language user (communicationtheory.org,

2014).

Language barriers are the root causes of many problems in various

sectors, especially in educational settings.

Language barriers can be difficult to avoid, especially if living in a

country where the language spoken is not your first language. Language

barriers usually occur when two people who speak different languages cannot

understand one another, and there is a breakdown in language and

communication. They can also come from physical language disabilities which

include stuttering, articulation disorder, and hearing loss. People who travel a

lot or live in an area that has a lot of foreigners might experience language
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barriers. They can cause unnecessary misunderstandings, and many people get

frustrated or irritated easily which can even lead to conflict. Language Barriers

limit the knowledge of individuals too. Indeed, they cause a big impact on our

lives, and getting rid of them completely might be impossible. However, the

language barrier is one of the major problems that most people are facing, now

that the world is getting more globalized (Misaki, 2017).

Language barriers are obviously a burden that affects many people. It

not only causes misunderstandings or frustration but also hinders relationships. It

has a great impact on people’s lives, especially students in Iloilo City, as they tend

to escape when they see a foreigner approaching them and they assume they do

not speak their specific dialect.

According to communicationtheory.org, to understand the basic concepts

of language, seven language barriers were mentioned as follows: foreign

language, dialects and pidgin, accents, jargon and slang, word choice –

ambiguity and verbosity, literacy and vocabulary, grammar, and spellings.

Foreign Language. Communication between people of different countries

becomes difficult if neither of the speakers has a common language to

communicate in. While knowledge of foreign languages is common practice

among people, certain languages are still a hurdle for people to learn and

communicate.
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Dialects and Pidgin. Dialects are regional variants of a language and very

rarely have a written script. People in different parts of a state or country develop

and use a regional variety of the official language as a result of the influence of

other languages or gradual changes in the pronunciation of a particular language.

Dialects are distinct from one another even though they have the same language

as the base. Pidgin is a version of the language that arises when users of two

different languages create an in-between language that eases communication.

Words and grammatical forms of either language are adopted into use and a

pidgin is formed. This is usually a second language and is used only when

speakers who know the pidgin version needed to communicate.

Accents. Accents are peculiar ways of pronouncing words in a language.

English is spoken in many other accents other than the standard Received

Pronunciation. Accents occur when speakers belonging to different regions

or countries speak a language not their own. Their mother tongue will influence

how they pronounce words in the foreign language. This causes difficulty in

understanding what is being said.

Jargon and Slang. Jargon is language or words that are specific to a

particular profession. Excessive use of jargon in communication may make

comprehension difficult. Slang refers to those words or expressions that are

peculiar to a group of persons who are familiar with it. It is an informal language
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that persons of a close-knit group coin to indicate shared experience or emotion.

It may be considered offensive by people who are not familiar with it.

Word Choice – Ambiguity and Verbosity. The choice of words made by a

speaker is a result of the knowledge and mastery of the language. However, one

must be careful while framing sentences or using particular being aware of the

multiple meanings of the words (connotative, denotative) and their uses in

idioms and phrases. Idioms and phrases are expressions typical of a language.

It requires practice and continuous reading to become familiar with the meaning

they convey and to understand how they are to be used in conversations and

writing. Verbosity or wordiness can also make the message obscure. The use of

unfamiliar words or more words creates fatigue in the mind of the reader making

for a break in communication.

Literacy and Vocabulary. Effective communication also depends on the

literacy level of the users of the language. Far Eastern countries such as Japan

and Korea prefer their native languages over English and pursue their formal

education in Mandarin or Korean. Hence, they get limited access or exposure to

the language of English. This results in limited vocabulary and very little reading

of the literature of the English language. Communicating in English at a

cosmopolitan workplace makes speakers conscious of their limitations in the use

of language and how it becomes a barrier to communication.

Grammar and Spelling. Grammatical errors while speaking or writing

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distort the message and therefore act as a barrier to communication.

In Linguistics, studies have been made on the interaction among

intercultural participants to identify and explain the communication strategies

they employed (Cuenco et al., 2018)

In “The Impact of Language Barrier & Cultural Differences on Restaurant

Experiences: A Grounded Theory Approach,” a study conducted by Eun et al.

(2011), the effects of language barriers on ESL (English as a Second Language)

customers’ service experiences which have been largely neglected in academic

research were presented. The research through qualitative and exploratory

methods, sought to identify issues that concern ESL (English as a Second

Language) customers in intercultural service encounters and the results of this

study helped restaurant firms in creating a better service experience for ESL

customers.

Given the exploratory nature of this study, Kim and Mattila (2011) used

grounded theory as the methodological framework for data collection and

analysis. Qualitative interviews were used as the main source of data. The face-

to-face, semi-structured interviews were conducted in Korean, averaging an hour

in duration. The researchers were able to identify 46 themes that fall under the

categories of, language, cultural differences, sensing problems, emotional and

cognitive reactions, coping behaviors, evaluations, and experience and

knowledge.
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Like Kim & Mattila’s study, the present case sought to find out the factors

affecting communication barriers. But unlike Kim & Mattila’s study which focused

on ESL customers in intercultural service encounters in Korea, this study focused

on the international students who resided in Iloilo City Philippines.

In another study conducted by Chen (2018) entitled, “Language Barriers

among Taiwanese National Champions,” the results showed that the language

barrier was the main obstacle for archery champions to communicate and develop

social interaction with foreign competitors and staff. The essentialness of

conducting the research was to understand archery national champions’

experiences of language barriers in order to apply or modify practical curricula or

training to minimize athletes’ hurdles in speaking English.

Chen’s study applied semi-structured face-to-face interviews as a

methodology. The theoretical approach taken in this research leaned deeply

toward phenomenology research, an inquiry in which the researcher identified

the lives of individuals and the essence of human experiences about a

phenomenon as described by participants. Therefore, the procedure comprised

of the researcher understanding the lived experiences by studying a small

number of participants, as what happened in this study. The selection of

participants was conducted via the purposive sampling method, in which the

researcher used their own judgment in choosing the participants for the study.

The research concluded that all the participants did not feel positive
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about speaking English at the athlete village. The participants in the study often

felt embarrassed and had low confidence in speaking English. The trigger for the

language barrier was often the interactions with other foreign athletes and staff.

The researcher also pointed out that participants’ behaviors and emotions

showed variations in reactions to embarrassment and avoidance of speaking

English. The avoidance of interaction with foreign competitors prior to the game

could be interpreted as the fear of negative emotional impact during the

competition (Chen, 2018).

Language barriers are the root causes of many problems or obstacles in

health care, aviation, maritime, business, sports, and education.

In Abuarqoub’s (2019) study entitled “Language barriers to effective

communication,” the researcher sought to focus on the importance of language

or semantic barriers to communication, their types, causes, impact on our lives,

and how to deal with them effectively to get our messages across. The

researcher used a qualitative study that presented the research aiming to

explore factors, which cause language barriers in real life, give examples about

the effectiveness of language barriers on communication, and discuss how to

reduce or overcome the language barrier of communication.

Abuarqoub (2019) concluded that language barriers can create problems

of miscommunication such as misunderstanding, misinterpretation of messages,

distorted messages, misinformation, confusion, mistrust, uncertainty, frustration,

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weak and wrong feedback, aviation and marine accidents and disasters, deaths,

tension, conflict, and violence among people. They could lead to Factors that

hinder effective communication. The best strategy to promote effective

communication and get messages across was to bridge the language barriers by

using simple, clear, concrete, accurate, familiar, and meaningful words, avoiding

grammatical and spelling mistakes, giving and receiving feedback, hiring bilingual

workers and qualified and licensed translators, minimizing the use of jargons,

avoiding ambiguous words, regional dialect and, confirming understanding, using

translation machines, avoiding shouting, sarcasm, and mimicry, and explaining

confusing messages to people.

Language barriers prevent people from sharing their ideas, thoughts,

experience, information, and expectations, giving feedback, or communicating

effectively.

According to language and cultural barriers studies, language ability

influenced academic achievement, social interactions, and general adaptation

to the host culture. Due to language barriers, international students might face

academic challenges, such as communication difficulties with professors and

peers. These issues may cause anxiety, education, and societal stress. In

addition, making friends, telling jokes in the host country's language, and

establishing a new social support network can be difficult for international

students (Ibragimova & Tarasova, 2017).

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In a study by Franco et al. (2013) entitled “Challenges in Teaching

International Students: Group Separation, Language Barriers, and Culture

Differences,” the researchers focused on issues in teaching international

students, specifically group separation, language barriers, and cultural

differences. The study analyzed East Asian students and Western students in

terms of group separation, language barriers, and cultural differences. The

researchers confirmed that language barriers faced by international students

did come in different phases: listening to a speaker or lecturer due to their

limited vocabulary; communicating orally which might affect class participation

and socialization; reading, especially for non-English speakers; and writing which

they considered as a challenge in their academic life. For cultural differences, the

researchers concluded, teachers needed to do more when the class had a lot of

diversity, to make sure everyone was carried along and represented even in the

different cultures.

Writing is the most common language-related learning issue in Australia,

the United Kingdom, and the United States, followed by oral comprehension and

communication (Robertson et al., 2000; Singh, 2005). According to Hellsten and

Prescott (2004), time constraints were imposed by language-related challenges:

studying and assignment preparation would take a lot of time, and lectures were

to be recorded and replayed. In addition, certain students struggled with accents

and cultural differences (Singh, 2005).

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When two people of different languages encounter each other, they not

only have different cultural backgrounds but their systems of turn–talking are

also different. The language will be more effective and communication will

become easier if both speakers know the turn-taking system being used in the

conversation. For example, one person should not monopolize the conversation

or only one person should talk at a time.

Review of Empirical Studies

Like Kim and Mattila's, this case sought to identify the factors influencing

linguistic barriers. However, unlike Kim and Mattila’s study, which focused on ESL

customers in cross-cultural service encounters in Korea, this study focused on

international students living in Iloilo City, Philippines.

According to Ashifa's (2021) study entitled, "Perceived Language Barriers

among Foreign Nationals in Turkey," the most significant barrier was the

language barrier because it made communication which was essential for survival

difficult for people. As a result, it caused difficulties for newcomers in finding

work, obtaining an education, receiving medical care, finding housing, and

generally surviving. The research focused on the various challenges that

language barriers present for foreign nationals. SPSS Version 24 was used for

data collection and analysis using percentage analysis and other statistical

methods relevant to the study.

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Using a question pool, the study was conducted among 96 foreigners

of various statuses, including students, working professionals, tourists, and

entrepreneurs. The questionnaire was divided into sections that asked about

each respondent's country of origin, mother tongue, occupation, level of

education, and Turkish proficiency. The study also attempted to assess the

issues caused by language barriers, the difficulties encountered, and the

methods used to overcome them (Ashifa, 2021). The study found that 25.3%

of respondents had a medium level of language proficiency, while 49.8% had a

very low level. The conclusion was that foreign nationals in Turkey face language

barriers due to their inability to communicate in Turkish (Ashifa, 2021).

Backman et al.'s (2011) study, "The Effect of the Language Barrier on

Intercultural Communication: A Case Study of Educational Travel in Italy,"

sought to understand how the language barrier affected intercultural

communication between foreign students and the host population as well as

other factors that enhanced students' enjoyment. The researchers investigated

how tourists' and visitors' perceptions influenced intercultural communication

between guests and hosts and discovered that role conflicts, hesitation, and

defensiveness were common among travelers due to cultural differences,

including language barriers. The study presented one such instance by collecting

and analyzing observations, interviews, logs, memos, and photos from a summer

study abroad programme in Italy in 2005.

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The study employed a qualitative methodology. Therefore, it used rich

data, such as in-depth observations, log collection, and interviews, to examine

the small number of participants and the duration of their exposure to the

environment under study.

If the Italian family or the group of students had been extremely

proficient in either English or Italian, neither would have made the same effort

to communicate that resulted in the same level of connection and satisfaction

that occurred in such a short period of time, supporting the researchers'

conclusion that language proficiency was beneficial to intercultural communication

(Backman et al., 2011). Unfortunately, language has been viewed as a barrier in

study abroad programmes because it limits students' opportunities to engage with

the local culture.

According to Bukhari’s (2018) study, entitled "Barriers Related to

Language and Culture which Prevent Overseas Students from Achieving Their

Potential", international students in the UK faced a variety of cultural, academic,

and undoubtedly linguistic barriers that prevented them from realizing their

potential and completing their education. These obstacles undoubtedly created a

psychological barrier between domestic and international students. As a result, it

was difficult for international students to quickly adjust to a new cultural

environment, learn a new language, and become acquainted with an academic

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system. The research focused on the challenges of becoming aware in academic

settings and the language and cultural barriers that international students faced.

Interviews and survey questionnaires were used to collect data for the

study. 50 of the 300 international students who responded to the researcher's

questionnaires at five different colleges agreed to participate in an interview.

Data for the study were collected and analyzed using percentage analysis and

other statistical methods relevant to the study. In terms of language barriers,

35% of respondents said they followed their proposed course "fairly well," while

40% said they had difficulty communicating with their teachers. According to

45% of students, a lack of English language proficiency limited their ability to

advance in the course, and 50% of students described their efforts to meet the

course's language requirements as "hard." According to data on cultural barriers,

few college and university students believed they face such barriers, despite the

fact that more than half of students believed multiculturalism should be promoted

(Bukhari, 2018).

Furthermore, according to Bakar et al. (2020), Communication is a

functional element of life. People socialize through effective communication skills.

Their study identified the seven (7) major barriers to communication. These are

collaboration/ physical barriers, perceptual barriers, emotional barriers, cultural

barriers, language barriers, gender barriers, and personality/intrapersonal barriers.

Collaboration or Physical Barriers: Collaboration is teamwork in which

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people are directed to work together to achieve communal assignments and

goals. They communicate with each other and share ideas and knowledge to gain

their goals. As communication moves through small groups, people get to interact

with each other, but at the same time, they face some barriers which hinder their

communication process. In the education sector, students used to combine study

for their tough tasks and made them understandable. Collaboration among

students enhances learning and increases motivation. However, there are

some communication barriers that hinder collaborative learning.

Nowadays, communication is expanded through internet devices which

enhances collaboration in the online education system. But, students may still

face many difficulties while communicating with others. As a result of the increase

in online education, which has increased communication barriers and made

people feel more disconnected, an abundance of online collaboration tools has

emerged. Consider the new hybrid training era, for example.

Perceptual Barriers: Individuals have communication barriers because of

how they perceive the world. They could be the result of one of the many

cognitive biases that distort how people perceive others and their circumstances.

An individual's biases can also be influenced by their past experiences and the

opinions of others. Consider any beliefs you or others may have that prevent

effective communication. Using this brief anecdote, try to persuade people to

think critically about their perceptions.

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Emotional Barriers: Our negative attitudes toward specific people, places,

and circumstances create emotional communication barriers. They elicit negative

emotions such as fear and mistrust, which impede productive interaction,

whether as a result of unpleasant experiences or through the influence of others.

Sometimes the impediment is simply our fear of what others will think of us. This

apprehension may stem from our early training to "mind our Ps and Qs" or "never

speak unless spoken to."

Although caution is prudent, excessive fear of what others will think can

hinder your progress and prevent you from developing stronger relationships.

Cultural Barriers: It is frequently necessary to adopt behavior patterns that

the group interprets as signs of membership in order to be accepted as a member

of that group. Openness, honesty, diligence, small talk, and humor are a few

examples. Communication is a way that provides a mutual understanding

between students and teachers in an educational context. Some hindrances

prevent the effectiveness of the communication process in the educational sector.

A lack of understanding of the group's expected patterns of behavior

creates cultural communication barriers and increases the likelihood of engaging

in unacceptable behavior. The best way to overcome this obstacle is through

research. Knowing the norms and customs of the group allows you to form

productive relationships and achieve common goals.

Language Barrier: Language becomes an impediment to communication

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when you use words that others do not understand. When you use these terms,

you begin to exclude people. Remember to include jargon, buzzwords, and

idioms. Moreover, remember the pronunciation of a word, which is the accent or

the difference in the languages spoken. Sometimes words that are used by one

person are totally different in the context of another person.

We must always communicate with people "in their own language" if we

want to understand them and influence their behavior. Verbal communication is

important in every context, but the meaning of words can literally get lost in

translation.

Gender Barrier: Gender orientation is also a significant barrier to

communication. Oftentimes people want to be communicated differently within

the spectrum of certain gender denominations. This affects communication

significantly.

Personality/Interpersonal Barriers: Interpersonal barriers are patterns of

behavior that impede effective communication, either on your part or on the part

of others. Because there may be multiple drivers, it can be difficult to

identify these communication barriers. For instance, a person may withdraw due to

difficulties in the workplace or school. They may have a low sense of self-worth or

a tendency to "play games." Cultures in the workplace, school, disorganization,

and the rise of remote work can all contribute to and exacerbate problems.
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Examine the communication patterns that emerge when people gather and

determine what is causing the issue.

In Chen’s (2018) study entitled, "Language Barriers among Taiwanese

National Champions," language barriers were analyzed and determined if they

were the primary barrier to communication and social interaction for archery

champions with foreign competitors and staff. Understanding how language

barriers affected national archery champions was critical for developing practical

curricula or training that would reduce athletes' English-speaking difficulties.

Chen's methodology consisted of semi-structured face-to-face interviews.

The philosophical approach used in this study had a strong influence on the

phenomenological method of inquiry, which identified the lives of individuals and

the essence of human experiences about a phenomenon as described by

participants. As a result, the process required the researcher to study a small

number of participants in order to comprehend their lived experiences. The

participants were chosen using a purposeful sampling method.

The researcher concluded that none of the participants felt positive about

using English in the athlete village. When asked to speak in English, the study's

interviewees frequently felt embarrassed and insecure. Language barriers were

frequently caused by interactions with other foreign athletes and staff. The study

also discovered that participants' actions and emotions differed in their reactions to

feeling embarrassed and refraining from speaking in English. One interpretation of

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the avoidance of pre-game interaction with foreign opponents was fear of a

negative emotional impact during the competition (Chen, 2018).

Last but not least, in Abuarqoub's (2019) study "Language barriers to

effective communication," the researcher sought to focus on the significance of

language or semantic barriers to communication, their types, causes, impact on

our lives, and how to deal with them effectively in order to get our messages

across. The researcher presented research using a qualitative study with the goal

of examining the factors that might lead to language barriers in everyday life,

providing examples of how language barriers affect communication, and discussing

strategies for reducing or removing these barriers.

Language barriers might cause misunderstandings, misinterpretation of

messages, distorted messages, misinformation, confusion, mistrust, uncertainty,

frustration, weak and incorrect feedback, aviation and maritime accidents and

disasters, fatalities, tension, conflict, and interpersonal violence, according to

Abuarqoub. They may produce elements that would impede clear communication.

Overcoming language barriers by employing bilingual staff and qualified and

licensed translators, avoiding ambiguous words, regional dialects, and confirming

understanding, using translation machines, avoiding shouting, and giving and

receiving feedback was the best way to promote effective communication and

convey messages.
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People find it difficult to provide feedback, communicate clearly, or share

their ideas, thoughts, experiences, information, and expectations due to language

barriers. Franco et al. (2013) published a study entitled Challenges in Teaching

International Students: Group Separation, Language Barriers, and Cultural

Differences. The researchers focused on issues with teaching international

students, specifically group division, language difficulties, and cultural differences.

The study compared and contrasted East Asian and Western students in terms of

group division, language barriers, and cultural differences. According to the

researchers, there were several stages to the language barriers that international

students faced: comprehension skills when listening to a speaker or lecturer due to

their limited vocabulary; oral communication skills that might affect class

participation and socialization; reading skills, particularly for non-English speakers;

and writing skills, which also became a challenge in the academic lives of

international students. The researchers concluded that if there was a high level of

cultural diversity in a class, teachers must go above and beyond to ensure that

everyone was included and represented in all of the different cultures.

When two speakers of different languages meet, their turn-taking

conventions differ as well as their cultural backgrounds. The language will be more

effective and simpler if both speakers understand how the conversational turn-

taking system works. For example, one should not monopolize the conversation or

only one person should talk at a time.

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"Overseas Students' Language and Culture Barriers to Acquiring Academic

Progress: A Study of Thai Undergraduate Students," by Akter et al. (2020) wanted

to look into the cultural and language barriers that prevented overseas students

from progressing academically. In order to acquire replies to three questions, the

researchers handed questionnaires to Thai undergraduates in the English

Education Department at Universitas Nahdlatul Ulama Purwokerto in the

Indonesian state of Central Java. The data were evaluated using descriptive

statistics to estimate the mean and standard deviation.

According to the study, language barriers had a significant impact on

students. Their command of the English language was limited. The students had

difficulty participating in class discussions and speaking in front of the class. These

obstacles had an impact on their academic success. Culture, on the other hand,

had minimal impact on Thai students while studying abroad. Students successfully

assimilated Indonesian culture (Akter et al., 2020).

Several of the culture shocks had such an impact on the students in the

following study that dealing with them made it difficult for them to complete their

studies.

Cooper and Newsome (2016) examined international students' cultural and

social experiences in a British university in terms of expectations, culture shocks,

and other patterns in a study entitled "International Students' Cultural and Social

Experiences in a British University: "Such a Hard Life [It] Is Here." All participants
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(n=18) were international students enrolled in a British higher education

institution, with the majority coming from Asian and Far Eastern nations. The case

study method was used to analyze the participants' subjective and individual

experiences. Data was gathered through case studies and semi-structured, in-

depth informant interviews.

Individuals had difficulty meeting their basic needs, according to the

findings of the study. Maslow's Hierarchy regressed as a result of initial culture

shock. This may be followed by an accommodation that allowed the individual to

have their needs addressed again. Others discovered this was not the case and

departed (Cooper & Newsome, 2016).

The study, "Arab Postgraduate Students in Malaysia: Identifying and

Overcoming Cultural and Language Barriers," by Al-Zubaidi and Rechards (2016),

focused on identifying and overcoming cultural and linguistic barriers. The

researcher aimed to look into the specific language and cultural barriers that Arab

students faced when pursuing postgraduate studies in Malaysia. The primary

difficulties that the student was experiencing were determined. The researchers

also looked into potential ways for supporting students in overcoming some of the

major cultural and academic barriers linked with a lack of language competency. In

the conduct of the study, 326 Arab postgraduate students were given

questionnaires.
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Following data collection, the study was able to identify the most difficult

issues faced by Arab postgraduate students at five Malaysian universities.

Academic difficulties (178 students) ranked first with 54.60 percent, followed by

language issues (116 students) at 35.58 percent, and cultural difficulties (32

students) at 9.81 percent. Researchers discovered that a sizable proportion of

students were concerned about linguistic barriers. Some of them drew a link

between linguistic difficulties and cultural barriers that people faced. However, at

each of the five universities, the majority of respondents expressed concern that

the English language preparation programmes did not meet their needs and

objectives (Al-Zubaidi & Rechards, 2016).

However, as time passed, the majority of youngsters sought strategies for

adapting to and managing their social and academic circumstances. This

encouraged them to continue their studies.

In Sicat’s (2011) study entitled "Foreign Students' Cultural Adjustment and

Coping Strategies," the cultural adaptations and coping strategies of Korean,

Timorese, and Nepalese students at Tarlac State University (TSU) were examined.

The difficulties encountered by these international students were investigated

using a qualitative case study research method. A sampling approach was used to

choose the students. In-depth interviews with respondents and a systematic

interview guide were used to find issues with cultural acclimatization.

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The study found that students from East Timor, Nepal, and Korea had to

adjust their eating habits, hygiene routines, and clothing choices to their particular

cultures (like frequent bathing and changing of clothes). The most prevalent issue

pupils had in school was their inability to comprehend lessons presented in a

language or accent other than their own (Sicat, 2011).

Homesickness was a huge setback for most international students because

their native language and culture were so important in their daily life. Because

culture is a way of life, if not life itself, most people believe that a loss of identity

lasts for some time until adaptations kick in.

The goal of Onofrei et al.’s (2013) study "Challenges and Barriers for

International Students in Romania" was to look at the demands of international

students in their academic and social communities. The study was carried out in

Romania with the assistance of international medical students. The following

challenges were identified by the researchers: first, finding housing, food, and

other daily necessities; second, adjusting to academic culture, including learning

how to communicate with faculty and other students; and third, making new

friends and establishing a new social support network. English is becoming more

important in Romanian society, according to researchers. Medical English is taught

first and foremost through the lens of medicine and health care, followed by

reinforcement of vocabulary acquisition, grammar, and structure.

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The researchers sought to determine the effect of language difficulties on

the well-being of international students in the 2015 study entitled "The Influence

of Language Difficulties on the Wellbeing of International Students: An Interpretive

Phenomenological Analysis." The study was carried out at a student housing

complex in Melbourne, Australia, utilizing an Interpretive Phenomenological

Method (IPA). The subjective experiences of five international students from

Colombia, Mongolia, China, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia were assessed in this study.

Gatwiri focused on the well-being and educational experience in Australia

during participant-driven semi-structured interviews. These one-on-one interviews

lasted forty minutes. Each transcript was individually and thematically analyzed. It

was possible to comprehend the participants' worldviews through an interpretive

relationship with the transcripts. Each of the study's six sections provided evidence

to support the claim that language barriers had an impact on the psychological

health of international students. The overall theme of language served as the glue

that held the various subthemes together. These findings supported the hypothesis

that as international students, their English language proficiency improved and

their levels of cultural stress, academic challenges, and negative emotions

decreased.
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Summary

This chapter examines a variety of literary and intellectual works that serve

as the foundation for addressing the study's issue. The review of related literature

concentrated mostly on international students in the Philippines, as well as

linguistic and cultural issues.

The review started with an explanation of communication ideas, linguistic

difficulties, and cultural differences. An illustration of how these factors could

influence a conversation between two people from different linguistic and cultural

backgrounds. Nonverbal cues, voice tone, gestures, presentation style, eye

contact, and other factors that aid in international communication must be

considered while examining linguistic and cultural obstacles. These disparities are

extremely crucial for international students wanting to succeed in Iloilo, given

their worldviews, cultural backgrounds, and psychological heuristics. They are

incredibly important since they are part of our everyday, routine speech. Because

not everyone is in the same circumstance or speaks the same language, it is

critical to allow the other person space when speaking. Accepting the diversity of

others may help to develop a sense of connection and close the communication

gap. Harmony emerges organically when communicators have a sense of

belonging, and harmonious integration may be an unintentional goal of every

interaction.
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The second topic focused on international students, generally known as

students residing abroad for academic reasons. It may be argued that the culture

of the Philippines, a country with a highly diverse social and economic class

structure, enabled international students to be self-sufficient and learn to

participate in the activities of their neighborhood, Iloilo City, in a unique way.

These cultural differences, culture shocks, or hurdles have an impact on students'

social and academic lives.

The lack of research on language barriers across broad groups of

international students from various schools, not just between two countries in the

Philippines, highlights the importance of the current study.

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Chapter 3

Research Design and Methodology

Chapter 3 is composed of five parts: (1) Research Plan; (2) Research

Design; (3) Respondents; (4) Instrument; (5) Procedure; and (6) Data Analysis.

Part One, Research Plan, presents the approach and methodology of the

study.

Part Two, Research Design, presents the purpose and the design of the

study.

Part Three, Respondents, describes the individuals involved in the study

and the means of the researcher in determining them.

Part Four, Instrument, describes the instrument utilized by the researcher

in the conduct of the study.

Part Five, Procedure, describes the steps that were undertaken by the

researcher starting from the conceptualization of the study until the thesis’

approval by the authorities.

Part Six, Data Analysis, states the procedure on how the data gathered

was analyzed and interpreted.

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Research Plan: Overview

The research employed phenomenology as an approach to qualitative

research methodology. John Dewey (1933) emphasized, “We do not learn from

experience. We learn from reflecting on experience”. The central assumption of

this methodology is that the integration allows a comprehensive, synergistic

utilization of data for a better understanding of the tenets of the relationship. It

also ensured the subjectivity of the research in balancing the information collected

and analyzed.

According to Rossman (2006) and Creswell (2007), the phenomenology

approach is one of the most effective ways to interpret an individual's or a group's

lived experiences for a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon and the

expression of individual participant accounts. Furthermore, phenomenology, as

defined by Patton (2000), "is primarily interpretive, but also draws on descriptive

phenomenology to enable participants to provide a credible account of a

phenomenon from their perspectives." This method can be used to describe and

explain an experience. A number of researchers believe that the phenomenological

approach to research seeks to generate new experiences, as knowledge is created

through encounters. As cited by Zeek (2012), "synthesizing meaning in

phenomenology is the process of combining all fundamental structural and textual

descriptions into a statement of the essences derived from the entire

phenomenon," according to Thapa (2016). The participants' experiences are

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interpreted in light of the significance they ascribe to them. The study used a

constructivist theoretical framework to better understand how social studies

teachers conceptualize democracy and form ideas about democratic citizenship

based on their own personal experiences. The study's goal was to comprehend

and interpret the concepts used by participants to define democracy and form

ideas about democratic citizenship. Because of the constructivist nature of the

phenomenological method, the goal when studying an individual or group was to

explain the essence of the lived experiences of a phenomenon or concept.

The purpose of this research explored the communications barriers and

coping mechanisms, and the struggles of international students. The researcher

employed the use of triangulation for multiple data collection; one-on-one

Interviews, Observation, and Essay writing, and a descriptive research approach to

understand the communication barriers in terms of the language and cultural

barriers that international students struggle with.

Research Design

This study explored the communications barriers and coping mechanisms,

and the struggles of international students.

To do this, it used a qualitative research design. Qualitative research is

naturalistic, aiming to analyze the daily lives of diverse groups of individuals and

communities in their natural surroundings; it is instrumental in studying

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educational settings and processes. “Qualitative research employs a naturalistic,

interpretative approach to its subject matter, aiming to make sense of, or

interpret, occurrences in terms of the meaning people attach to them” (Denzin &

Lincoln, 2003). Domegan and Fleming (2007) stated, “Qualitative research aims to

explore and discover problems surrounding the scenario at hand because very little

is known about the subject.” The magnitude and features of the problem are

frequently misunderstood.

In the case of the international students in Iloilo City, the process started

with identifying the student by their countries, and probably by continents also.

Then, it proceeded to determine the questions and the avenue it needed.

Respondents

The participants of the study were five international students in Iloilo City,

coming from any of the listed countries: Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia,

Myanmar, Kuwait, and America in private universities in Iloilo City.

The participants’ age range was from 18 to 30 years old, and they lived in

Iloilo City for more than two years.

The idea of getting participants who were residents of Iloilo City for at least

two years was supported by the primary emphasis of the study, according to

Ibragimova and Tarasova (2017), where the group of international students whose
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length of stay was shorter than one year, would be shortlisted by the researcher to

partake in an FGD that would be used for the data gathering component of this

research.

Instruments

In this study, the researcher served as the instrument of the study. She

conducted Interviews, Observations, and Essays gathered from the participants.

Semi-structured questionnaire for the interview was created and validated

by the Research Adviser. The semi-structured questionnaire contained two-three

questions covering all three objectives of the study. This would help launch rich

answers from the participants.

The interview was done face-to-face. Face-to-face interviews were recorded

on video and voice recorders. Notes were taken by the researcher during the course

of the interviews. The answers from the face-to-face interviews were compiled and

transcribed using open coding. In the grounded theory method, open coding refers

to the analytical process of attaching concepts (codes) to observed data and

phenomena during qualitative data analysis. It is one of the "procedures" for

dealing with text described by Strauss (1987) and Strauss and Corbin (1988).

The researcher observed each participant for at least two hours, to follow

their basic routine and activities. After which, a detailed essay with details and

examples was written by each participant about all their experiences. The goal of
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open coding is to develop comprehensive codes that describe, label, or categorize

the phenomenon under investigation. Which is why it is very suitable for this

study. Owing to the fact that the study is qualitative research, the researcher

conducted interviews and subjectively interpreted the data based on their

experience in the

data-gathering processes.

Procedure

To gather data, one on one Interviews, Observation, and Essay writing

augmented by narratives and personal experiences were employed. The method

used was triangulation for multiple data collection.

Four stages were observed in the data-gathering process of this study.

Selection of the participants. Since the researcher was the main instrument

of this research, the following paragraphs would describe how the researcher, as

the main instrument of the student, used the help of a particular system which

would be the international students in Iloilo City.

The attempt to conduct research about International Students was borne

out of the fact that the researcher was an international student also who had faced

challenges using the stories of the international students, who were the observed

system of the research. The stories of the international students would be about

the different communication barriers they struggled with and the coping
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mechanism they employed in the process of the barriers. Also, the findings would

aid the higher institutions in the best form of how to handle these students.

The Researcher selected fifteen (15) international students from the two

schools that most foreign students in Iloilo City attended. The list of those who

formerly enrolled in the school year 2021-2022 was retrieved with the help of the

School Registrars. The list was limited to five (5) students only, since this included

a semi-structured interview, according to their availability and countries. After

confirming their interest to take part in the research, a formal letter and informed

consent were sent to them, detailing the title and the reason for the research, in

which participation in the study was voluntary.

Developing and Validation of Instruments. The researcher made the three

(3) semi-structured interview questionnaires using the objectives of the study as a

guideline. This question was subjected to correction by the Research Adviser.

Conducting the Study: Observation, Interviews, and Document Analysis.

The one-on-one interview was conducted concurrently with the observation, after

which an essay was submitted about the experiences faced and was sent to the

Researcher via email. This process ran through November 2022.

Analyzing the data. The Researcher created and organized a file for the

data collection. After which, the text was thoroughly read, margin notes were

made, and initial codes were formed using open coding.

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The personal experiences of the international student were described using

the essence of phenomenology. Significant statements were developed and these

statements were grouped into meaningful units using themes.

All the data gathered was compiled. The data was then classified,

triangulated, analyzed, and interpreted. All transcripts were received and answers

of the same theme were grouped together using open coding.

The interpreted data was collected using the critical reflection essay. The

first two questions of the objectives were written with the metrics that were

created, for the communication barriers and coping mechanisms.

The third question was the process of the Researcher as the instrument of

the research. This is where the Researcher detailed their experiences of feelings,

thoughts, and actions, before the conduct of the research; also their experiences

of feelings, thoughts, and actions after the research was conducted.

The completed study was then submitted for review by the Adviser. Then

to the editor for grammar review. After a thorough review, all the suggestions

were applied. Once done, the manuscript was endorsed by the Adviser to the Dean

for approval.

Finally, when the Thesis was approved by the Dean, it was reproduced for

binding.
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Data Analysis

Using the phenomenological approach, the researcher interpreted the data

in three ways: develop a textual description, “What had happened to the

international students?'', develop a structural description, “How the phenomenon

was experienced by the international students?” and develop the “essence” on why

the experiences of the international students are important.

The researcher presented the narration of the “essence” of the

experiences of the international students in a discussion form.

The critical reflection essay was written by the researcher to answer the

third objective of the study. Critical reflection helped the researcher see and

understand multiple perspectives, make new connections between ideas,

experiences, and thoughts, find flaws or strengths in our solutions to problems,

think about alternative outcomes, consider new or additional applications, and

gain meaning from an experience. Through critical reflection, we were able to

transform experiences from mundane, meaningless activities to deep, meaningful

learning, which was the goal for us as we design learning experiences (Fennema,

2017).
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Chapter 4

Results and Discussion

The results of this study are presented and discussed in five parts.

Part One, Introduction of the Respondents, presents a brief introduction of

the respondents of the study.

Part Two, The Researcher’s Reflective Essay as Self-1, presents the state of

the researcher before the study.

Part Three, Communication Barriers, presents the communication barriers

experienced by the respondents.

Part Four, Coping Mechanisms, presents the coping mechanisms employed

by the respondents to face the different barriers.

Part Four, The Researcher’s Reflective Essay as Self -2, presents the state

of the researcher during and after the study.

Introduction

In this chapter, the Researcher articulated the results of the study in order

to obtain the answers to the questions expressed through the following objectives:

What are the communication barriers encountered by the international students,

when socializing with the locals?; What coping mechanisms are employed by the

international student to face these challenges?; How the Researcher is changed by

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the communication barriers and coping mechanisms stories of the study

participants?

This section analytically discusses the discrepancies in communication

barriers, the thoughts of participants, the factors limiting the communication of

international students as well as the coping mechanisms these students adopted

while schooling in the Philippines. The participants are introduced as Mason,

Matthew, Mateo, Mia, and Micheal, which are not their real names.

The researcher discussed first using a reflective essay the feelings,

thoughts, and actions of the researcher before the findings and collation of the

results from the participants, which would be the first part of the results. Then we

have the results of the participants, and then another reflective essay of the

research detailing how the results of the research changed their feelings, thoughts,

and actions and its application to their personal beliefs and thoughts.

Introduction of The Participants

In this study, five international students from different countries of origin

were profiled.

Mateo was 29 years old, male, a Nigerian and he is a student at University

A, and in his final year as a Medical Technician, he has been in the Philippines for

seven (7) years.

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Matthew was 28 years old, male, and a student in the Tourism program at

University B. He was from the State of Kuwait and has stayed in the Philippines for

six (6) years.

Mason was 24 years old, male, and a student of Music at University A for

five (5) years. He was from Myanmar.

Mia was 25 years old, female, and studying Computer Science for three (3)

years at University B. He was from the United States of America.

Michael was 23 years old, male, studying Psychology at University A, and

residing in the Philippines for five (5) years. He was from Saudi Arabia.

Although each international student had his or her own unique personal

characteristics and life, there were some commonalities in what was experienced in

the Philippines as an international student in terms of the communication

barriers and coping mechanisms.

A Surprised Nigerian

This study was anchored on the cybernetics of cybernetics. This theory was

used to anchor this study because of the peculiarity of its tenets. The arguments of

cybernetics were concerned with understanding how systems processed

information and used feedback to adapt and self-regulate. This affected the

feelings, thoughts, and actions of the researcher. Owing to the researcher's

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involvement in the data-gathering process which was qualitative, the cybernetics

of cybernetics theory fit in perfectly.

Following the reflections below, one may deduce that there had been a

change and an influence between the researcher and the variables of language

barriers being studied. For example, Self 1 highlighted what the researcher’s initial

thoughts and perceptions were before arriving in the Philippines and how that

affected their actions. In Self 1, the researcher may have felt attacked deliberately

and this informed their reclusiveness and how they interacted with locals.

However, In Self 2, the findings had created a correcting mechanism that affected

the researcher’s perception of the subject matter and the researcher now

understood clearly what informed some actions.

As a Nigerian in the Philippines, in Iloilo City precisely, it was never a

comfortable stay since the Philippines was my first long trip. I may have visited

other African countries, but just for a few weeks.

My journey to the Philippines was a very peculiar one. Like others, I never

even tried to Google or try to find out anything about the country. I was just super

excited to travel out for my study and was ready to face whatever challenges that

would come my way, so I came to the Philippines blankly and was ready to learn

and immerse myself in the process. But it was all different when I landed at the

International Airport in Manila. Everything changed, I knew this was going to be a

new life. Knowing myself who can be slow to change, I knew I was done for.
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I was told by my Parish Priest in Nigeria, who happened to be a Filipino

that the Philippines is an English-speaking country, so I felt that it would not be

difficult.

When I arrived at Iloilo Airport, I had the family of my Parish Priest waiting

to get me. To my shock, I noticed in the whole airport, I was the only colored

person so everyone stared so hard that I felt very uncomfortable with myself.

Anyone that came close felt like they wanted to either touch my skin or touch my

hair. I felt like a craft or painting in a museum that people just came to see. This,

at the time, was not something I was used to. In my country, you would only

touch people whom you were close with, and you would only smile at people you

were close with. But, I noticed on my first week here that everyone smiled at each

other so that I hurt my jaw, as I was advised it was the Philippines culture to

always smile, and this was all very new to me.

When it came down to conversations, you would meet a Filipino for the first

time, and the first sentence that might come out of their mouth was “How old are

you?” or “Why did you come to the Philippines?” This had been a no way to start a

conversation for me as I always reminded myself. Most of the time I did not

respond to the question and every time I straight up told them it was rude to ask

someone you know nothing about their age. So, they (Filipinos), especially my

classmates, mostly tagged me as “Suplada”. This made people get scared of

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coming close to me, and to me at that point, I just needed my class, since my sole

purpose there was to study, so I did not care much about it.

The accent and pronunciation of words were another I fought with for a

long time. There was always miscommunication between me and my classmates,

especially during group work. This made me get to a point where I never see

myself with Filipinos because I did not want the stress of trying so much to

communicate when I would be misunderstood, so the only time I had been around

Filipinos was during my classes. After that, I headed straight home and the good

thing was we had a hand full of Nigerians here so it was easy to always be among

Nigerians. But my joining the Little Theater of the University changed a lot, as this

meant I needed to start putting myself out to learn the accents and possibly the

dialect.

I would usually prefer to send messages via messenger so that at least

they can read them. I always said that to myself.

I had lots of struggles because whenever I got the lead role, this meant for

the next few days, I had to read my lines in the dialect. Though I always pulled

through surprisingly, that did not change the fact that I still did not know how to

communicate with the locals. It got frustrating most times when I would have to

say a sentence more than three times for it to be understood or sometimes had to

write it out for the person I was talking to read it out.

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In the classroom setting, it could be worse at times, when the English

teacher used the dialect because if they speak straight English, the locals might

not understand. This became a struggle for me and I would usually meet my

teachers after classes for more clarifications. It was a good thing because they

were approachable.

Another would be being called a “negro” usually said by the person

shouting across the street, and everyone knew it was you being called at. It really

hurt my feelings. Sometimes, I thought of using something to throw at them, but

most times I was quiet and would just give them a stern look, and they would

stop.

Communication Barriers: International Students’ Struggles

Cultural Barriers: It is frequently necessary to adopt behavior patterns

that the group interprets as signs of membership in order to be accepted as a

member of that group. Openness, honesty, diligence, small talk, and humor are a

few examples. Communication is a way that provides a mutual understanding

between students and teachers in an educational context. However, there were

some hindrances that prevented the effectiveness of the communication process

in the educational sector. A lack of understanding of the group's expected

patterns of behavior created cultural communication barriers and increased the

likelihood of engaging in unacceptable behavior. The best way to overcome this

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obstacle was through research. Knowing the norms and customs of the group

would allow you to form productive relationships and achieve common goals

(Bakar et al., 2020).

Difficulty in making friends

This would also confirm that indeed in the statement during the interview

with Mason, he said,

“When I arrived here in the Philippines in 2016, to pursue my further

studies, I guess, the biggest, one of the biggest communication barriers was

building friendships. I really wanted to make friends and meet new people, since

part of my reasons for relocating was to meet new people. But [if] you want to

make some friends, you [would] want to talk to some people, but you don't know

how to communicate. It was a very big setback for me. The moment I speak in

English, the locals are like, "Oh! English speaking! My nose is bleeding." You

know... Stuff like that, especially in the classroom. But on my first day of class, I

met another foreign student, who by chance, also thought I was a local. And we

apparently discovered we were both foreign students. I had another foreign

student classmate. Their names were Sean and Ishaya. So yeah, I guess, they

help me also. Because we had the same communication problem together. Like

how to communicate with the locals.”

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The claim was also consistent with Mason’s essay (line 1), where he

confirmed “I also find it difficult to relate to my classmates in our social gatherings.

Last year when I was invited to an outing to hang out with my friends, I

sometimes feel left out when they banter amongst each other. I usually sit and try

to understand what they are talking about so I may try to join in the

conversation.”

It was very consistent because it was also observed that Mason rarely

moved with the locals due to these communication issues. He preferred hanging

out with other international students where he felt they were both facing the same

challenges, so they could relate with each other.

Challenge in interacting with the locals

The cultural barriers also created some sort of hindrances as this was also

confirmed in the statement of Mateo during the interview:

“ So then, when it comes to the culture, for example, the first time I

witnessed these fiestas, the preparations, I do not understand [what] they are

about, but it was like a culture, basically their own culture. I don't know if it is

related to Catholics. For the fiesta, they go to the church, and after the mass, the

start of the fiesta with lots of food and loud music everywhere in the whole area.

There are even competitions like pageants and the like. I did not understand how

it has been done, [because] where I came from there was nothing like that. So
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most times, I felt left out. Also, when it comes to jeepney transportation, I was

shy during my first ride because I saw people passing money to give to the driver.

I know it was payment but I don’t know what to say to make the payment. I don’t

know what to say as well when I want to go down from the jeepney when I

reached my destination.”

Some participants acknowledged that culture harmed their ability to

communicate. This was confirmed in the claims of Mateo when he wrote in his

essay that upon relocating to the Philippines he was told it was an English-

speaking country but he was disappointed afterward owing to the observed

cultural disparities present.

It was very consistent because it was also observed that Mateo was

mostly confused about why whenever he interacted with the locals, it was a

hassle for them to understand.

Another respondent gave an illustration of how the etiquette practices in

the Philippines had affected his ability to communicate with aged persons and

that he needed to acquire these customs to do so. As a result, misconceptions

resulted in differences.

This was also confirmed in the statement by Michael during the interview

where he said “I remembered when I first started in the Philippines, or rather

when I had my first vacation there in the Philippines, I was shocked at how one

dresses because if you're in Saudi Arabia, we're very covered with clothes, for
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both genders. And usually, we wear, basically long clothes, I say very long T-

shirts that would stretch out all over the ankle of your feet. And, women wore

something like the "abaya" which surely everyone was familiar with. So when I

went to the Philippines, they were more expressive about what they wear. It

really came as a shock to me. I couldn't help but stare at everyone, especially

women, considering my age. This culture is very new to me. Everyone is very

friendly sometimes, depending on the friends or groups and the people... they're

very outwardly... and I would say too touchy.”

Michael also confirmed this in his written essay (line 10):

“Here in the Philippines, people love to greet. For example, if five people

see me on my way to the bathroom, those five people greet me, and so I have to

reply five times to the same question. People love to ask so many questions but all

the questions are the same like “How are you?” “Why did you choose the

Philippines?” “How to say this word in Burmese?” “Have you tried Jollibee, adobo,

and so on?.”

It was also observed that Michael rarely liked being touched especially by

people he was not comfortable with.

Mason also stated in his interview:

“Linguistics appears to be the most stumbling block when examining the

fundamentally emphasized problems; since vocabulary is the most crucial

component of dialogue, a speech obstacle is very problematic. However, these

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barriers are influenced by culture because elder reverence is a distinct Filipino

habit that permeates every Filipino family. Young Filipinos frequently make

gestures toward their folks as a symbol of reverence. They can interpret a

foreigner as being impolite if these factors are not taken into account, which

would lead to misunderstandings in conversation. “

Language Barriers: Language becomes an impediment to communication

when you use words that others do not understand. When you use these terms,

you begin to exclude people. Remember to include jargon, buzzwords, and

idioms. This is also the pronunciation of words, which is the accent or the

difference in the languages spoken. Sometimes words that are used by one

person are totally different in the context of another person. We must always

communicate with people "in their own language" if we want to understand them

and influence their behavior. Verbal communication is important in every context,

but the meaning of words can literally get lost in translation (Bakar et al., 2020).

Lack of confidence in speaking with the locals

This was also confirmed that indeed in the statement written by Mia in her

essay (line 4), she stated:

“If you asked us about our experience in the Philippines, we probably

would list out some good times but also a lot of bad times or traumatic ones. The

nosebleed joke got old to me really fast and annoying to the point that I rather
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not speak and just sit at the back of the class even though I am normally social.

If someone were to be paired with me in class, the foreigner, they would be

delighted because I was unique and different from all of them. However, some

might not seem as excited because it would mean they have to speak English.

Another time when I got frustrated due to language barriers was when I went out

for my local friend’s birthday [celebration]. There are also times when they’re ‘too

comfortable’ and want to test their English skills with broken English then say

“nosebleed” to every English word that’s been spoken out loud. They would say

that it’s okay, but I would feel like it's bothersome because I overthink and think

they’re uncomfortable with me.”

This claim was consistent with her interview as Mia also affirmed:

I speak in English because I don't speak any Filipino language. So when I

speak, when I speak English, they respond with something like "ha? "ha? "ha?

What did you say? Something like, for just one word, I have to say it 5 times.

Maybe my pronunciation is quite... I don't know, but I'm really... I lost my

confidence to speak. So I avoid speaking with most people.”

It was very consistent because it was also observed that Mia did not have

any friends around her who spoke in the local dialect. All the people seen around

were practically speaking English.

Most volunteers, though, acknowledged that speech was a barrier to

contact because it took those months to even comprehend everything that was
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said, and when it failed, they were kept at a distance, which led to a feeling of

ethnic solitude. Moreover, each person's ethnic heritage will impair how interaction

forms develop and can vary greatly throughout ethnic groups. This also confirmed

that indeed in the statement by Mason during the interview, where he had stated

that language was a major barrier. For instance, she stated restrictions or

concerns in the cultural exchanges might emerge from concerns about

communicating intelligibly in any dialect or one's tongue to anyone with little or no

knowledge and proficiency in the speech.

Confusing pronunciations

This was also confirmed in the statement written in his essay (line 19),

Mateo stated:

“I find it hard as well to take a taxi because there was a time when I

entered a taxi, I told the driver to take me to “Jaro” with the “J” not knowing it

was “J is pronounced as “H,” the taxi driver laughed and knew I am a foreigner

and connected with me... There was also a time I told a driver to take me to a

club or bar and looking at me as a foreigner the driver took me to a strip club. He

actually asked me something but I did not understand what he said so my answer

was yes, so we went to a strip club.”

The interview of Mateo also confirmed the restrictions in understanding due

to the barriers.
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“The language barrier, basically speaking Hiligaynon, for example, when in

class and the teacher started by explaining a problem in the English language, and

I am trying to grasp and understand the whole sentence, and then the Hiligaynon

comes in between the sentences and it breaks up my whole understanding about

the topic. This affected my understanding of most courses, especially my English

and Maths classes, as I try to understand why an English Teacher would teach

English in the local dialect”

Linguistics serves as both a tool for shaping interaction and a significant

factor that may either effectively or unfavorably affect their academic success.

Gender Barriers: Gender orientation was also a significant barrier to

communication. Oftentimes people wanted to communicate differently within the

spectrum of certain gender denominations. This affected communication

significantly (Bakar et al., 2020).

Gender stereotyping by the locals

This also confirmed the statement in the interview with Mia, where she

stated:

“I identify as a female, but most parts of the LGBTQ community in the US

and most of my family are pretty much aware that I have a girlfriend, but over

here, I guess, it's not as much practice. So, I dress more comfortably in boy's

clothes. On one occasion, there was this guy, who said, "You're a guy right,
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because you dress like guys." This really brought my spirit down. Sometimes,

while walking on the street, the guys would make sounds at me and call me

different names by catcalling me. On another occasion, they tried to grab my

parts just to be sure I was a female since I had answered them I was a girl.

After the incident with the guys, I never wore shorts in the Philippines. It was

also common for men to easily catcall women wherever they go. I was literally

wearing baggy clothing, a sweater, and glasses with my hair up to avoid all of

that yet I still get it. I tell locals and they consider it normal because that’s how

men are. Why do they make it normal? It doesn’t have to be normal. My butt has

been touched and I've been grabbed before because they think I would not do

anything about it which was definitely not the case. This was mostly coming from

the older generation so I'm glad it’s not as common with the younger

generation.”

The claim was also consistent with her Essay (line 5):

“Mia stated another experience she had with the P.E Teacher. “My PE

teacher was a man and his entire class were all females. Half the class was also

American girls. We came into a topic of a certain sport and although I don’t

remember what sport it was, I knew it was a sport that females did play back

home. This man said ‘This sport is for MEN.’ Girls can play this sport and all of

the American girls looked at each other and had the same face saying ‘Excuse

me?.’”
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It was also observed that Mia loved to be identified as an LGBTQ member

and she was proud to be called one but would get offended when she was being

attacked.

Psychological/Emotional barriers: Our negative attitudes toward specific

people, places, and circumstances create emotional communication barriers. They

elicit negative emotions such as fear and mistrust, which impede productive

interaction, whether as a result of unpleasant experiences or through the

influence of others. Sometimes the impediment is simply our fear of what others

will think of us. This apprehension may stem from our early training to "mind our

Ps and Qs" or "never speak unless spoken to." Although caution is prudent,

excessive fear of what others will think can stymie your progress and prevent you

from developing stronger relationships (Bakar et al., 2020).

Struggling with change

The accomplishment of participants' private and occupational desires,

meanwhile, was difficult for those who lack sufficient information and awareness.

As a result, the researcher realized that receiving academic success and coaching

is important for improving their communicative abilities in addition to their

information. In other terms, they will interact with people responsibly when they

are well aware. This was confirmed in the statement by Matthew in the essay

(line 12), where he stated:

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“Often establishing having psychological barriers which we tend to have

especially low self-esteem, not feeling too open to others, or even just a social

anxiety when we tend to be in the classroom and even upon entering, people and

students just give different attention if it is not their own or not a local who is

entering the room. Not that they are doing it in a bad way, but it is just a feeling

that for them it is not normal or different that they seem to appreciate it and give

more attention to.”

Acquiring academic achievement and mentoring made it easier to

communicate effectively, so it was important to understand the purpose and value

of education and coaching. Additionally, these made a huge contribution to

changing one's life for the better. To overcome hormonal obstacles to good

interaction and to enhance one's life, it can thus be said that acquiring teaching

and awareness was among the essential steps. Due to mistrust, and fear, the claim

was also consistent in the interview with Matthew, where he said, “Building a

relationship with them was one of the struggles. Even after six years from now,

I'm still having a hard time building relationships with local classmates.”

Mia also asserted some of the changes she struggled with. In her essay,

she stated:

“There were also many times when people would constantly stare at you.

It's normal for them but in the States, it would be considered very rude and you

might get called out for that. You’d be lucky if no one starts a fight or argument
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with you just for staring at them. I have been with one of my African friends with

me when a group stared at the both of us, and they started yelling ‘Negro’ at him.

It was pretty embarrassing for him, he wanted to fight them but I held him back

as we are foreigners here, so it is not worth it. Situations like that deal with you

psychologically.”

Coping Mechanism of The International Students’

Adaptive Coping Mechanism empowers you to change a stressful situation

or adjust your emotional response to stress. This can also be strategies that

involve a change of mindset or a revision of thoughts. Denial is the most common

coping mechanism under this category. For example, an international student

joined extracurricular activities in the school to get more involved and also

participated actively in class for problem-solving skills (Bailey, 2021).

Due to the interaction difficulties experienced by foreign scholars in the

Philippines, these students were forced to devise a survival strategy to deal with

the different difficulties they ran into. This affirms such an idea that graphic

methodologies of interaction necessitate one audio incongruence to handle this.

Some participants stated the use of straightforward dialect to interact with the

natives of the city. Others did admit to hiring translators. Some participants,

however, stated that they handled the message by repeating it to themselves.

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Learning to be observant

This was also confirmed by the statement given by Mateo during the

interview as he stated:

“I had to try to be able to have good communication skills with the locals,

first of all, I look for translators, my neighbors, and my classmates that can

communicate in English whenever I have difficulties understanding sentences.

What I just do is, pick up the sentence, try to translate it, and some of the

sentences are quite easy to understand. I was able to... like... ask what is the

meaning of these?.. What is the meaning of this... So currently, I think, I know

like 80% of Hiligaynon. But I can't speak.”

The claim was also consistent in his essay (line 18), as Mateo also

affirmed:

“So in order to adjust, I made friends, learned a few words, and when

information was disseminated in class and I found out that it was information, I

called the teacher's attention to explain the information. My friends also offered

help to explain it to me but sometimes it was not clear or similar to what exactly

the teacher would explain. So most preferably, I go directly to the teacher for an

explanation.”

This was consistent because I also observed that Mateo was always asking

for help from his friends around him if he did not understand what was said in the

dialect.
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This became achievable because they repeated the initial statement in

their thoughts until it was fully ingested. To achieve this, Bruner (2001) argued

that recurrence was a crucial component of learning, perhaps not the most

crucial component, but far more crucial than the current emphasis on rapidity

and simplicity; to look for avenues to reconsider, examine, and reiterate even

when time is at a premium. By practicing, students could find their starting point

and "know the place for the first knot." Although these participants mentioned

different compensatory techniques, it was determined that a transliteration

approach was the most widely used buffering strategy.

According to Mia, she also started observing her environment, to find

better ways to cope in this new place. In her essay, she stated:

“ The foreigners have a small population in the Philippines, especially in

Iloilo City. It is relieving to find other foreigners in the same country as you are.

Even if you know or don’t know the other foreigners, it still gives you a sense of

comfort knowing that you’re not alone in a new country. The thought of them

possibly going through the same struggles as you did makes me feel like I wasn’t

going through this all by myself. I did manage to find foreign friends and local

friends who accept me just the way I am. We would hang out, party, and see

other foreigners from other schools. Those were the times when I felt the most

comfortable. Aside from that, I would usually walk around SM and play at the

arcade where I would de-stress. My friends and I would also go on night drives
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or weekend night outs to de-stress from all the requirements we had to do for

school. I found many things that distracted me from my struggles and they

helped me get through it.”

Keeping an open mind

This was confirmed that indeed in Matthew’s statement in his essay (line

14), he mentioned:

“Being independent and embracing the reality of being alone as a foreign

student in a foreign country is one of the things we should accomplish and strive

through. There will always be mixed feelings every day as we journey in a new

country that evolves us, changing and building a better person by learning

different kinds of languages, cultures, and learning environments and also

embracing learning the local way. I was able to feel open and be more kind and

welcoming to others since I know that I should learn how to survive and meet

people in order to do well and be familiar with the place. Learning and even

teaching my own dialect and language to students and the locals are one way to

share thoughts, and conversation which makes us feel closer to one another.“

The claim was also consistent with Matthew’s interview:

“You have to remove your ego. You have to remove your pride. You have

to sometimes .. have to erase what you have learned and the culture you know

back home. You have to try to learn the culture just to feel open to connect to
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them because if you bring the kind of attitude you had in your country back

home, you really never connect with them unless they see what you're trying to

point out.”

It was very consistent because it was also observed that Matthew was

very active with school activities as he was actually the Vice President of the

International Students Association, which gave him room to interact and always

meet people and be very open to learning.

According to Mason, he also tried to have an open mind, in his interview

he asserted:

“I made friends with some of the locals that are open-minded about

certain things. They were ready and willing to teach me and my other foreign

friends some basic things about everyday communication and life. I continued to

be open-minded in order to adjust and also learn new things.”

The claim was also consistent with Mason’s essay:

“ I try to better understand my friends and classmates by trying to study

the language at my own pace. I study by picking up words from conversations I

listen to. I ask my classmates the meaning of different words I do not know. And

lastly, I try to speak the language as practice when I commute or when I banter

with family and friends. However, I do feel shy and embarrassed when I make

small mistakes. This doesn't bother me that much because it gives a good laugh

for all those involved including myself.”

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Maladaptive Coping Mechanism is a negative way of dealing with stress.

Maladaptive coping commonly occurs in people who have experienced childhood

trauma or abuse. Though these behaviors might temporarily distract you from

your stress, they could eventually lead to physical and emotional harm. Some

examples can be escape, meaning instead of getting involved, the international

student would decide to stay away and keep to themselves, to avoid any form of

confrontations (Bailey, 2021).

Finding a reliable translation service.

In the age of globalization, interpretation is one of the most efficient

mediums of expression. It aids in bridging the communication gap between

foreign students and residents of non-English-speaking nations. Nevertheless, it

eliminates linguistic constraints by synthesizing conversations between two

languages. As a result, these students, who found it challenging to interact with

their peers, increasingly embraced this. A large proportion of participants,

however, claimed that even if they find it extremely challenging to comprehend

their education in greater detail.

Learning to adapt to current environments

This was also confirmed that indeed in Mateo’s statement in his written

essay (line 18), he wrote:

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“He adopted a translator who would help him translate the language, and

he would pick up a sentence and learn from it. When instructors speak in

Hiligaynon or Tagalog, as was frequently the case, students tend to lag and need

interpretations to comprehend their lessons. Communication for me wasn’t that

hard because I made friends that speaks English and can translate what I asked. I

just studied learning the Filipino language and writing it for communication.”

However, in a culturally and linguistically diverse nation like Nigeria,

interpretation is crucial for the debate of concepts and insights amongst individuals

from various districts and with cultural diversity, languages, and dialects. As a

process of social exchange and a tool for interaction between two dialects,

interpretation aids in breaking down linguistic miscommunication. The words a

speaker uses depend on how well-versed and knowledgeable they are in the

dialect. Becoming mindful of the various term connotations and how they are used

in colloquialisms and phrasing, one has to be cautious when structuring sentences

or employing certain words. Quotations that are unique to a language include

idioms and phrases. To become familiar with their significance and learn how to

utilize them in talks, it takes training and constant studying.

Avoidance of socialization

A few participants admitted minimizing human interaction with classmates

in the classroom and outside of it because they preferred to be by themselves.

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However, every respondent acknowledged that they only interact with people

they felt comfortable around, with whom they could be themselves, and with

whom they were confident they could communicate freely.

This was also confirmed in Mason’s written essay (line 1), where he

affirmed how he coped:

“I have an unconscious tendency to zone out if people speak in a

language I don’t understand. I usually assume that people aren't speaking to me

or the subject does not involve me.”

They concluded that if they interacted with the locals, they would become

what they were not, thus they made sure to master the local English speech and

tradition. As a result, forsaking one's ethnic party was a difficult decision because

it prevented one from learning from a variety of perspectives. However, learning

about the mentality of a target culture would be an excellent engagement

strategy. Therefore, peer pressure and cognition would not be feasible without

such knowledge. However, the participant acknowledged that she had a

subconscious propensity to tune out when others speak a language she did not

understand.

Most of the time, I assumed that people were not talking to me or that the

conversation was not about me. However, I have lately tried studying the speech

at my own pace to comprehend my family, friends, and classmates better. The

conceptual approach provides for a poor adaption procedure when used as a

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result of impairment. Participants admitted that they had concentrated on the

person's normal patterns of detecting, reasoning, recalling, and dilemma.

This was also confirmed in her statement during her interview, Mia

mentioned:

“I'm usually social, especially back here in the States. But in the Philippines,

I was way more quiet, and sadly, most of the time, I'm in school, because I don't

want to really deal with these issues or if you guys heard the "nosebleed" joke that

they always say, I get really tired of it. I don't know what to do. I'm kind of an

introverted person. So mostly, I stay in my room. If I need to go to school, I will

just go, and after school, I go back. Just a little socializing with my friends. But

mostly, I stay in my room. So, I would do my assignments and other things to do.

So mostly, I stayed. Sometimes, I go shopping. I go to the mall. I go to the store.

I go to the bookstore and find my book. I read books in my room. But sometimes,

I watch movies. So, that's how I cope with this communication barrier. I stay in my

room”

If the learner's perspective on the world and intellectual approach in

studying settings were taken into consideration, dialect obstacles would be

reduced. This was significant because not all students learned the same things in

the same manner, and not all students were capable of creating their learning

routes. The learning ability would therefore have an impact because it took into

account how a participant responded and functioned differently in various

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contexts, encompassing perceptions, choices, and habitual techniques associated

with a person's style of detecting and reasoning (Lee et al., 2005).

The interviews, essays, and observations collated from the students were

an eye-opening experience for me as they gave me different kinds of feelings,

thoughts, and reactions to situations around me, which I would be discussing

below.

An Emotional and Resentful Nigerian

In my thoughts, I contended that these restrictions existed because

Filipinos might not be aware of the obstacles inhibiting learners from properly

adjusting to their new environment. The most common concern identified by every

participant in their criticisms was ethnocentricity. This was because many students

and their cross-cultural encounters were frequently influenced by someone's

tribalism or the idea that one's culture was greater than another's. However, an

individual's capacity for effective cross-cultural communication was influenced by

their level of ethnocentricity, whether high or low. The biggest communication

hurdles with individuals who vary from them would be experienced by people who

had high levels of ethnocentrism. Additionally, the investigation revealed that

highly ethnocentric people might be wary, antagonistic, and possessive of overseas

students, particularly those who adhered to different social and cultural standards

than the in-group (Neuliep & McCroskey, 1997).

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At the end of the findings from my participants, I thought I was going to be

more self-aware, or probably feel a little bit of comfort hearing the other

international students talk about their experiences. Instead, I found myself crying

after hearing some of their stories, and for me, it felt like I had it better than some

of them, and they made me furious, as I thought as humans, we should do better,

but as I said, this was my experience listening to their stories, which were very

common to mine, because due to my strong-will, I was able to navigate through all

of it. My feelings, actions, and thoughts after that process were not enjoyable. My

learning was far from what I expected, but I would try to turn down my writing so

my readers would understand that all of this is coming from my own perspective

as the researcher and the sole participant in my study.

One of the stories that shocked me was the story from Mia. I thought the

Philippines was a liberal country when it comes to LGBTQ. I cried when I heard

her story. I felt this should not happen in 2022. So, that changed my mind, even

though I was having faith in the system before, it took me back. Especially with

her PE Teacher, who used some words to her, which traumatized her a lot now.

She said if she leaves, she would never come back to the Philippines as she would

not want to feel that way ever again. In my Self 1, there were sentiments already,

and right now, hearing Mia and the other stories, I did not just have sentiments, I

felt so much pain in me, and I was trying too hard to put in my reflections

properly, so my readers would understand that this was just my pain and how I
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felt as the main subject of this study, as a part of my creation. So, how I interpret

their stories was making me who I am as the main system.

I started to develop more hate and annoyance toward everyone around

me, and I did not want to interact with people anymore. After hearing all the

stories of the international students, it aggravated my anger toward the locals. I

did not necessarily love them before, but now, it was going toward the left,

instead of the right. But this was just my subjective interpretation of their stories.

How it made me react and feel, and the kinds of thoughts I have, which I came

into my study. It was not just me feeling this, but others to various degrees,

which was not just based on race, but also on gender. But this was just me, and

these were my experiences and the experiences of the participants of my study

which were very common to my own. Perhaps the Illongos in the Philippines were

not as multicultural as they should be, as they were not much accustomed to

seeing different cultures or people aside from themselves.

Like Mason, in his interview, said most of the locals interpreted foreigners

as being impolite. I also understood that most international students always felt

the urge that they were being corrected by the locals, not considering that they

did not have the same accents. This was one challenge I still battle with to date, I

always made the locals understand that I would not pronounce words the same

way they did, owing to the fact that my country Nigeria was colonized by Britain,

so most of my pronunciation and spelling was done like the British. I remember
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arguing with one of my teachers during my undergraduate days because I spelled

“organization” which is the American way of spelling it, but I spelled it as

“organisation,” and there were so many other spellings and pronunciations like

that. The first impression most Filipinos had of me was that I am “suplada,” but

this was me just trying to survive and made sure I was doing what was right for

me as a person. Most of the participants also felt that way.

Foreign learners wanted to succeed individually and educationally,

according to my research. However, when they lacked self-assurance in their

communication abilities or had unpleasant conversations about their way of life,

they might be reluctant to ask for help when they do (Robertson et al., 2000).

However, I also realized that if some staff members stereotyped foreign students

as being careless, depressed, and lonely, they should be doing more to hone their

abilities and reach out to students, helping them feel welcomed, accepted, and

understood despite the various cultural differences.

For instance, one of the participants stated that they simply could not

adjust to speaking English just because of her when a participant described how

she went out with a group of friends and they all started to speak the native

language even though they could all speak English and as she battled to

comprehend what was being discussed. However, the participant's perspective

indicated a certain degree of strong tribalism, and those who have high degrees

of anxiety over cross-cultural dialogue were less likely to pursue cross-cultural

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contacts. Over the years, I had seen that this was troublesome, particularly for

foreign students as their capacity to integrate into the host culture was also

constrained by multicultural education anxiety (Neuliep, 2012).

Conversely, both students' emotional and scholastic orientation were

impacted by their fear of approaching advisors and communicating with them, as

well as by their communicative anxiety. Students could be hesitant to speak with

us out of concern that we would not understand them or that they would not

comprehend us. We might experience the same anxiety as advisors. On the other

hand, I discovered that there was a serious issue about the isolation among

foreign students attending Philippine Educational Institutions. For me, I also

isolated myself from people, even up to date, I preferred to stay by myself, the

only time you would see me out was when I went out to attend Mass, or I needed

to get groceries. I only had one friend, who was also a Nigerian, so at the end of

it, we would always prefer to align ourselves with those whom we know would

understand us better and were also going through the same challenges we had.

This isolation was because both Filipino and international students' lack of cultural

awareness frequently contributed significantly to the isolation of international

students. Because of the negative effects of isolation, international students'

academic performance as well as their mental and physical health were negatively

impacted.
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After reflecting on their stories and how they might have influenced me as

a person, I was annoyed in my Self-1 before my findings, and now I am more

annoyed, after hearing the other stories, which were relatively true and similar to

mine. Perhaps, I do not want to generalize, but this was my own experience, and

I, myself was continuously changing for now, and might completely change

tomorrow. For my length of stay in Iloilo, there had been changes and there

would be more changes as I continue to live here. Looking at other people’s

perspectives, which were different from mine.

Insight One - after the stories, I felt angrier than I was before. I cried

listening to Mia’s story about being stereotyped due to her sexuality. For Mason

who was very uncomfortable with the culture because for him coming from where

everyone was fully covered in clothing and being in a place where people were

very expressive in their dressing, the culture cut him off guard. This was also the

same as with my experience when I first arrived here.

Insight Two - like me, most of the international students used almost

similar ways to cope. For me, it took me two years to really start adjusting, when

I came here, I was sick, I disliked everything I was seeing, and I was not

comfortable with the way the people behave. At some point, my parents wanted

me to come, but I told them I would be fine, and that was when I decided to be a

“dragon”, like to survive in the best way I could. I locked my mind, and just

focused on studying, so I had a routine, even until today: I go from home to

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school, then home to church, and probably buy groceries when I needed them.

Like me too, most of the participants also did not research about the Philippines.

They came in and just wanted to explore. But, it felt like I was thrown into the

middle of the ocean to find my way.

Insight Three - I had come to the realization that all the while I thought I

was overreacting in my own thinking but after listening to the participants' stories,

I knew I wanted to validate most of my feelings and knew it was not all in my

head. I felt angrier after the whole process. I have stayed here for 11 years and

whenever I walked on the street, I still heard people call me “nigra.” In the

beginning, I always thought it was just them being ignorant, but in the particular

neighborhood I lived in, I had lived there for seven years already, and it was still

the same. Like Mia, who was also bullied by the people from her street, I

definitely understood her experience as a person.

Ten years ago, I saw Filipinos as not being assertive enough. For me, that

was an issue, because then in school, when we were being given group work, I

heard my classmates say something like “okay lang,” for me that was not good

enough, I was always taught to seek perfection, and then being around people

who just lived life as it would come was surprising. I had no readings of the

Filipinos, but then I saw this. This was me, and how I pictured myself before and

after the process, even if I know changes were still welcome and I had to keep an

open mind.
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Chapter 5

Summary, Conclusions, Implications, and Recommendations

Chapter 5 is divided into five parts: (1) Summary of the Research Design,

(2) Summary of the Findings, (3) Conclusions, (4) Implications, and (5)

Recommendations.

Part One, Summary of the Research Design, presents a brief summary of

the research design used in the study.

Part Two, Summary of the Findings, presents a brief summary of the

results of the study.

Part Three, Conclusions, discusses the conclusions drawn from the results

of the study.

Part Four, Implications, discusses the relationship between the findings,

theories, and related studies.

Part Five, Recommendations, presents the researcher’s suggestions based

on the results of the study.

Introduction: Summary of Research Design

This chapter depicts the entirety of the research as it gives an insight into

the research design, its impact to the study, and its benefits. As such, the major

findings, results, researcher’s reflections, and conclusions were deduced. On the

other hand, the recommendations were clearly stated.

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First, a description of the experimental concept.

The qualitative research used a phenomenology approach that was also

explanatory. But it was realistic and examined the day-to-day activities of various

social groupings and communities in their natural environments. As a result, in the

instance of the international students in Iloilo City, the procedure began with the

identification of the students by their nations and also by the continents. As a

result, a triangulation approach to data collection was used, consisting of one-on-

one interviews, observation, and essay writing enhanced by personal tales and

encounters.

Summary of Findings

The findings of the present study included the following:

(1) It was determined that culture and all of its nuanced variables had a

significant impact on how difficult it was for international students to communicate

with one another. Before they could communicate effectively, they needed to

understand the vital customs and values that the Philippines upheld.

(2) Upon searching for various methods to ease communication barriers,

they looked for different kinds of explanations, but the translator system was not

the most common defense method.

(3) The researcher has become more grounded in the existing gaps that

inform the actions and behaviors of foreign students. Another thing that has
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changed is who the researcher is now.

Conclusion

Conclusively, it may be difficult to communicate with people from distinct

ethnicities and countries because doing so requires awareness of the varied

values, beliefs, and behaviors that people hold. This is especially true when local

cultural distinctions are taken into account. But, overcoming linguistic and cultural

hurdles to communicate requires empathy. Empathy is the ability to perceive

another person's thoughts and feelings as though we were directly experiencing

them. Numerous studies suggested that diversity improved performance and

reduced conflict, which was contrary to the idea that diversity in work groups in

educational settings increased conflict and inferior performance (Thatcher et al.,

2003). Foreign scholars, though, experienced a great deal of interpersonal

communication anxiety, which also hindered their capacity to blend in with the

locals. Both students' emotional and academic experiences were impacted by their

fear of approaching advisors and communicating with them, as well as by their

communication anxiety. Because they worry that these locals would not

understand them or that they would not understand them, students may be

reluctant to approach and engage in meaningful conversation. Due to this, both

Filipino and international students' lack of cultural awareness frequently had a big

impact on how isolated international students felt. Because of the negative effects
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of isolation, international students' academic performance, as well as their

emotional and physical health, were challenged.

Furthermore, in summary;

(1) Various factors affected the communication between foreign students

and the locals of the Filipino community. These factors include language barriers,

cultural barriers, psychological/emotional barriers, gender barriers, and pockets of

xenophobic attacks.

(2) Students have resulted in the simplest means to augment the barriers as

coping mechanisms. They found themselves having no option but to learn the

language, and study some of the non-verbal ways of communication.

(3) The students face a lot of challenges in terms of cultural barriers, and

the difference which affected their daily lives, especially their studies.

(4) The researcher now has a better understanding of the nuances of the

communication barriers and coping mechanisms that foreign students face in their

day-to-day lives.

Implications of the Study

Education is a transnational business. Oftentimes, people travel from

different parts of the world to garner knowledge that would be very instrumental

to their successes in life. This has led to the cultural exports and exchanges that
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have been very vital to the development of the world as a whole. Owing to the

findings of this, the implications are the following:

(1) Foreign students must be subjected to a one-year cultural orientation

programme to ensure discernment of the contextual environment they are about

to join.

(2) Students should be encouraged to learn local languages as coping

exams and also, locals should be exposed to diverse cultures to foster more

healthy relationships.

(3) Anchored on the cybernetics of cybernetics, the study showed that the

interactions between systems evolve with one another forming newer systems.

The students who were sampled have obviously faced some changes since they

joined the school system and they had also influenced the Filipino community as

well. In addition, the researcher had also become more educated about these

barriers and coping mechanisms.

(4) Anchored on the CTI, the researcher was able to explore their personal

identity in the reflective essays written, incorporating their context in thoughts,

feelings, and actions, between the self, the community, and the society. The

researcher used the stories of the international students to form a subjective idea

in the Self 2.
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(5) These theories were very important for this study because the

researcher was the subject of the approach to the data. The study validated the

use of different theories.

Recommendations

Based on the findings, the following recommendations were advanced:

(1) Based on the findings of the research, it is recommended that Filipino

natives be sensitive to stereotyping issues and dispel any preconceived notions

they may have about international students who are unable to speak their native

language.

(2) International students may adopt Albert Bandura's theory, which calls

for learning through modeling or observation. As a result, students who are

genuinely interested in learning about the culture of the country may consider

conversing with a native who also speaks English so they can benefit from it. In

the case of observation, they might also consider learning from these people's

practices and ideas. Hence, starting with the simplest native vocabulary.

(3) Foreign students may consider being consistent in their verbal and

nonverbal cues. As a result, they should not say one thing and use their body

language to convey a different message. Instead, they may adopt being conscious

of the connection between their spoken languages and non-verbal

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interactions. Also, they could find time to research about the country to know

some of their cultures and norms, so the culture shock is not so pervasive.

(4) Multinational students who struggle with miscommunication on

account of their emotional and psychological situation may want to embrace the

concepts of emotional intelligence. However, these students would interact more

effectively in their daily life if they have a greater awareness of their emotions

and how to handle their feelings. Universities accepting foreign students should

find a middle ground between the foreign students and the locals, with

orientations on different communication styles.

(5) Communication researchers may conduct similar studies about

international students in the Philippines. Future researchers may be interested in

exploring a more in-depth study of audiences and their needs in relation to not

just then locals, but also other international students of different races.

Considering that this research is coming from a subjective point of view from a

Nigerian perspective, researchers may want to be objective, looking not just into

the students, but also the university programs that house them.
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Onofrei, P., Teodor, P., Ţirban, N., & Stiegelbauer, L. R. (2013). “Challenges and

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Appendices
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Appendix A

Letter to the Respondents

November 23, 2022

Dear Respondents,

I, the undersigned, am a Master in Mass Communication student at West Visayas State

University, La Paz, Iloilo City. Currently, I am doing a master’s thesis titled
“Communication Barriers and Coping Mechanisms: A Closer Look at International
Students’ Struggles.” Generally, this study aims to explore the communications barriers
and coping mechanisms: the struggles of international students.

In this connection, I would like to request you be one of my respondents. You will be
asked to make yourself available for a one-on-one interview/observation, and essay
writing. There are no anticipated risks to your participation. When you feel some
discomfort at responding to some items/questions, please feel free to ask to skip the
question. You will not receive any payment for your participation in this research study.
Any information that is obtained in connection with this study and that can be identified
with you will remain confidential and will be disclosed only with your permission or as
required by law. When the results of the research are published or discussed at
conferences, no information will be included that would reveal your identity. You can
choose whether to be part of this study or not. If you volunteer to be in this study, you
may withdraw at any time without consequences of any kind. The researcher may
withdraw you from this research if circumstances arise that warrant doing so.

If you have any questions about this study, feel free to contact the researcher at
09485556897, or you may reach her through her email address,
[email protected].

I am looking forward to your positive response regarding this matter. Thank you very
much.

Respectfully,

MAGDALENE S. UCHEH
Researcher

Noted:

RICKY BECODO
Research Adviser
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Appendix B

Consent Form for the Respondents

TITLE OF STUDY
COMMUNICATION BARRIERS AND COPING MECHANISMS: A CLOSER LOOK AT
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS’ STRUGGLES

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
MAGDALENE S. UCHEH
MASTERS IN MASS COMMUNICATION
[email protected]

PURPOSE OF STUDY

The purpose of this research is to explore the communications barriers and coping
mechanisms: the struggles of international students. The researcher will employ the use of
triangulation for multiple data collection; one on one interviews, observation, and
document analysis, and a descriptive research approach to understand the communication
barriers in terms of the language and cultural barriers that international students struggle
with.

STUDY PROCEDURES
The research will employ phenomenology as a methodology.

To gather data, the methods to be used will be triangulation for multiple data collection;
one on one interviews, observation, narratives, and personal experiences.

The interview would be one-on-one, while observation happens, after which an essay
would be written.

BENEFITS
The results of this study may be beneficial to the following groups of people in the
following context:

International Students. This is because the primary goal of this research is to smooth over
any rough edges in the fields of global communication, culture, and languages. Its findings
would look great on the shelves of university libraries and international relations
departments worldwide. In addition, students from all over the world would be able to
understand the numerous communication difficulties caused by linguistic and cultural
differences and how these barriers might affect how people live in their chosen host
country.
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Universities with International Programs. The study's findings will inform and raise
awareness among universities about the linguistic and cultural barriers that international
students face. It would enrich the body of knowledge on communication dynamics in
general and interpersonal relationships in particular, in addition to contributing to the
development of policies to support international students and provide them with a positive
international student experience. It would also provide advice on how colleges could sell
themselves to prospective international students.

CONFIDENTIALITY
For the purposes of this research study, your comments, interview, and essays will be
anonymous. Every effort will be made by the researcher to preserve your confidentiality
including the following:
 Assigning code names/numbers for participants that will be used on all research
notes and documents
 Keeping notes, interview transcriptions, and any other identifying participant
information in a locked file in the personal possession of the researcher.

Respondent data will be kept confidential except in cases where the researcher is legally
obligated to report specific incidents. These incidents include, but may not be limited to,
incidents of abuse and suicide risk.

VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION
Your participation in this study is voluntary. It is up to you to decide whether or not to take
part in this study. If you decide to take part in this study, you will be asked to sign a
consent form. After you sign the consent form, you are still free to withdraw at any time
and without giving a reason. Withdrawing from this study will not affect the relationship
you have, if any, with the researcher. If you withdraw from the study before data collection
is completed, your data will be returned to you or destroyed.

CONSENT

I have read and understand the provided information and have had the opportunity to ask
questions. I understand that my participation is voluntary and that I am free to withdraw at
any time, without giving a reason and without cost. I understand that I will be given a copy
of this consent form. I voluntarily agree to take part in this study.

Respondent's name over signature _____________________________Date __________

Researcher's name over signature _____________________________ Date __________

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Appendix C

List of Validators

Mrs. Elsa S. Subong (of Blessed Memory)

PIA Officer (Retired)
Philippine Information Agency – Region VI
Content Validator

Dr. Venus P. Diaz

Faculty, College of Arts and Sciences
West Visayas State University
La Paz, Iloilo City
Content Validator

Dr. Wilhelm P. Cerbo

Director, Planning and Development Office
West Visayas State University
La Paz, Iloilo City
Content Validator

Prof. Raffy S. Galan

Faculty, College of Communication
West Visayas State University
La Paz, Iloilo City
Content Validator

Dr. Ricky P. Becodo

Faculty, College of Communication
West Visayas State University
La Paz, Iloilo City
Communication Research Validator

Prof. Joanna J. Ferrer, MAEd

Part-time Faculty, College of Arts and Sciences
West Visayas State University
La Paz, Iloilo City
Language Validator
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Appendix D

Interview Questionnaire

COMMUNICATION BARRIERS AND COPING MECHANISMS: A CLOSER

LOOK ON INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS’ STRUGGLES

Questions:

1. What are the communications barriers you encountered as an international

student when socializing with the locals?

2. What coping mechanism did you employ as an international student to

face these challenges?

3. How the Researcher is changed by the communication barriers and coping

mechanisms stories of the study participants?

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Appendix E

Metrics

Communication Barriers Examples

Collaboration/physical barriers Noise

Perceptual barriers Stereotyping

Emotional barriers Anger, Anxiety

Cultural barriers Dressing, mindset

Language barriers Pronunciations, Accents, Jargon

Gender barriers Women focus or men focus

Personality/intrapersonal barriers. Wrong assumptions

Coping Mechanisms Examples

Adaptive Solving the problem, being mindful

in the moment, taking a break,
open-minded.

Maladaptive Withdrawal, self-harm, anger,

procrastination, avoidance.
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Appendix F

Transcribed Interview Answers

MICHAEL: Thank you! Alright! I come from Myanmar and I study at the University of San
Agustin as a fourth-year Bachelor of Science in Psychology student. I've been studying here
in the Philippines for almost eight years.
RESEARCHER: Thank you! Alright, thank you so much. Thank you so much. You have been
here for a long time, so that means this is going to be a very quick and very short process.
So I sent you all the questions.

RESEARCHER: Okay! Alright, so basically the title of my research is "Communication

Barrier and Coping Mechanism: A Closer Look at International Students’
Struggles". So we're going to talk about the struggles, and how you were able to cope.
What are the coping mechanisms you've used, especially in relation building? While you're
studying, also communicating with the locals. So our first question is "What are the
communication barriers you encountered as a foreign student, especially socializing with
the locals? How did you view the relationship in your classroom as a social environment,
and, you know, psychological, the language barrier, if that is a part of this. And you just
give examples. So basically, I want to know what communication barrier you encountered
in school, and probably, when you go to the malls and the markets. How or what are the
barriers you encountered that you did not, maybe, achieve a particular goal when you went
for that moment? And then the second question would be your coping mechanism. What or
how did you cope? What coping mechanism did you employ in order to face some of these
challenges? And how has it gone so far? So we would just start immediately. Okay! So we
can start. I don't know if I have to mention your name or even if you want to go at
random.

MICHAEL: Hello! So for the first question, the most problem I have concerning being social
was, more so, for my academics than my social life. Because of my social life, I have very
accommodating friends who spoke really fluently in English. And then, every time, when
they speak in Hiligaynon, they try to include me and teach me a couple of words. But I
understand that when they speak amongst themselves in Hiligaynon or some other dialect
I do tend to, just pick up a few words, and if it is not really concerning me, I don't really
pay that much attention. However, in my Academics, I do struggle. From time to time, as
my teacher does, explain further in detail in their vernacular, and that really makes me
struggle in trying to understand the subject that we were currently discussing. This made it
really hard to... sometimes... complete some work. Because the materials are in Tagalog or
Hiligaynon. And then, I would ask my teacher to understand that it takes me some time to
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work it out, or if I could ask for different types of work, that would be much easier for me
to accomplish, and sometimes they're very accommodating and understanding. But other
times, like a long time ago, they would tell me that I should learn soon or by now, the
language that they are speaking. I understand what they're trying to say. I proceed further
by asking my classmates who do speak English, who understand me, or my family
members who are Hiligaynon speakers since I'm half Filipino. When it comes to number
two, my coping mechanisms, are mostly I used to pick up words and make myself
understand Hiligaynon or Tagalog since I was always around the Philippines, ever since I
was little. Being half Filipino, most of my family members, half of my family members are
speaking of that vernacular. And I do sometimes rely on my friends, and those who have
time to teach me some words and understand the language even though I'm not you still
and I do sometimes have short times with friends when it comes to the social situation I
tend to speak in their vernacular or language. And I am asked to repeat what they're
saying and their meaning in English, so that way, I could understand what they are trying
to communicate with me. I guess that's my answer. Thank you.

RESEARCHER: Okay! Thank you so much Michael and thank you so much for answering
the questions. So I would just want more, like Iliana you gave some examples. So like, I
want to know what some of the cultural difficulties you have. Everyone would answer by
giving samples. How you went out when you saw something and you're shocked. What are
those examples that you have?

MICHAEL: Okay! Should I do number two? Okay! So with number two, what coping
mechanism. Oh yeah. So at CPU, there and other schools still, there are a lot of foreign
students. So we can all relate to that. If you find some comfort, if not really by yourself,
whether you'll be hanging out with other foreign students maybe we can relate to that
some issue or to that, same if you like this. Even though I know foreigners in other
schools, I just see them at events and parties. I'm also not saying, all locals are like that,
because or I mean anything, because we're just humans who need to be friends with the
people who are local. But we were also able to be comfortable with me no matter the
circumstances. That helps me out there.

RESEARCHER: Thank you so much, Michael. Thank you so much. It's good that you're
actually found solace in the other students that helps a lot. Even for me too, so we all have
that experience. As a Nigerian, I actually know that. Thank you so much. We will come
back to more comments later once everybody goes around.
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RESEARCHER: What are the examples like cultural barriers and the language of period
examples

MICHAEL: I think in my country, there is a difference between my country and the

Philippines, especially in the way students treat their teachers. They met them in the
street, they said... they would say... Good morning teacher!... In Myanmar, we don't
usually do it. You treat teachers in a high manner. You can reply to it but in the Philippines,
one day, I was going to my class with my friends. When I met my teacher, my friend
simply greeted the teacher, but I didn't, and also I think maybe, they are just really nice,
cause I stayed in a seminary, and there are so many seminarians here. When I go to my
bed, when I go to the shower room, I see five people. When I was on my way to the
bathroom, I think they greeted me. Hi there! How are you? I replied: I'm good. Thank you.
So all of them ask the same question, and I'm not comfortable answering 5 times going to
the bathroom. Something like this.

RESEARCHER: Alright thank you so much, Michael.

MICHAEL: So far... for my example for culture barrier, language barrier correct?

RESEARCHER: Yeah! Yeah! You can give both.

MICHAEL: Okay! For the cultural barrier, I remembered when I first started in the
Philippines, or rather when I had my first vacation there in the Philippines, I was shocked at
how one dresses because if you're in Saudi Arabia, we're very covered with clothes, for both
gender, for men and women. And usually, we wear, basically long, I say very long t-shirts
that would stretch out all over the ankle of your feet. And women wear something like the
"abaya" which is surely everyone is familiar with the clothing that women wear. So when I
went to the Philippines, they were more expressive about what they wear. It really came as
a shock to me. I couldn't help but stare at everyone, especially women, considering my age.
And this culture is very new to me. Everyone is very friendly sometimes, depending on the
friends or groups and the people... they're very outwardly... and I would say too touchy...
So it's really something I used to get to. But as I grew older, and as I tried to understand
everyone's culture, everyone's lifestyle there in the Philippines, I got used to it. I made
studying there much easier. And then, I probably... there were sometimes, I did get into
situations where... how do you say... I am rude... so I apologize to them because theY
didn't understand. I remember that I was invited by friends out for lunch and I almost
expected them to pay for their food because I thought, we would just have a hangout time,
but then, my grandmother who is an Ilonggo told me before I went out, that if your inviting
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people, you're the one should be paying for the meal. And hearing that, in Saudi Arabia,
when you invite someone for dinner or lunch it's sometimes that people pay for their own
food. It's only people who are very close to you who pay for each other's food or pay for the
meal, but I did not learn and I do pay for everyone's meal. And because of the language
barrier, I did come to a situation where I did not know where directions to go and I did
have to ask the locals and I did meet someone who understood English and to the best of
their ability, did teach and showed me directions where I needed to go. There was a time
when I didn't know where... I did not know that a street is only one way and the LTO asked
me to stop my car and ask me what am I doing and where I was going. I told them that I
don't really speak Hiligaynon that well and I told them that I wanted to go to a certain mall
here. He understood and he just said, as a punishment just pay 20 or 200 for a traffic
violation as a fine and then he showed me the direction where I really need to go. It was
easier to understand him because my family or my friends who spoke Hiligaynon were there
with me at that time. Well, that's the example I think. That's all that comes to my mind.
Thank you.

RESEARCHER: Alright! Thank you. Michael.

MICHAEL: So what is the second? What is the second question?

RESEARCHER: Alright! Thank you so much, Michael. Thank you so much for sharing. I
know, I meet most international students, so I totally understand everything that has been
said. I also remember going to the mall and, I have to write out what I want to. I like that
if I don't exactly know where to get I would write on my phone, because when you speak,
they don't understand. Not just your accent. They just don't understand. I don't know if
they don't understand your English. They are supposed to understand. They don't just
speak. It's good that I'm doing this, because right now, we all have similar experiences,
especially in the language area, in the culture also. For me, I think, my biggest culture
shock was, when I got here, when I first went to school, I came out and I saw everybody
just smoking outside. Where I come from, you don't smoke in public. So I was shocked and
apart from that, students from high school smoke. These people are just 15 or 14 but you
know, it was shocking to me. And I would say, okay, is this the normal thing? I saw it as a
noble thing. I had all Filipino families here, like they are my guardians and you know, going
to the house, and seeing the children smoking in front of their parents. Where I came from
that, that, you don't do. It's like, I know a lot of times, I'm being rude because I was had...
my... my cheekbone aches because I had to do a lot and if everybody greeted you... you
have to reply... that's not what I used to do. Why do I have to smile? So in my first week,
my cheekbone was aching, because I'm smiling so much. But I have to find ways how to
cope and make it work for ourselves. And some of us are still here, some left. I've been
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here for 11 years. So someone says, if you don't like the place why are you still here? I
said I don't know. I'm trying to cope with you guys, so you don't have a choice. but thank
you. I don't know if anybody has something to add.

RESEARCHER: When that happened, I was shocked, because when I came here with
another Nigerian, it was not that easy, but when you have a buddy, even if you don't
understand, you can talk to yourselves. I remembered one day, after one of our classes,
they just like, let's go to have some lunch, and they were excited because in my place,
when you tell somebody let's go, it means, you going to pay, you're going to pay, it means,
you're going to cover up you, and that person. When we got there, we all ate. Luckily we
have money with us. If not, it has been a disaster. And everyone started to pay. Everybody
was removing their own money, and I looked at one of them and I asked what was
happening. She was... she answered... actually don't know. And then they said, you have
to pay for yourselves. I said: what??? And we warned them. I personally warned them.
Whenever you call me for lunch, we're not going to pay. I said don't do that. We don't do
that in my place. So I don't do that because if I invite you all over, we want to pay for you.
Probably Ryan's experience is different. So you know Ryan? Do you want to say
something?

MICHAEL: Yeah it came to shock me because I was expected to pay because from what I
witnessed, when they want to hang out amongst themselves, everyone seemed to pay for
themselves. So I say, I can just... I wanted to ask everyone to hang out and at that time I
thought it would be ok for them to pay for their own food. Wherever I was explaining that
to my grandmother and my cousins, they said: no... no...if you ask them to go with you to
a mall... it's different there... that when you go to the mall after school then everyone
would pay for their own food. I did not know that it doesn't apply to hanging out on the
weekend or something like that.
RESEARCHER: Alright! Thank you, Michael!

RESEARCHER: Okay! Thank you so much. Thank you so much again and God bless you.
Thank you if you want. I'm going to share with you my studies once I'm done, so at least
you can also have a copy but I'll just keep you all updated. Thank you. Alright, thank you.
You all have a very good weekend. bye!
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RESEARCHER: Okay! Alright, so basically the title of my research is "Communication

Barrier and Coping Mechanism: A Closer Look at International Students’
Struggles". So we're going to talk about the struggles, and how you were able to cope.
What are the coping mechanisms you've used, especially in relation building? While you're
studying, also communicating with the locals. So our first question is "What are the
communication barriers you encountered as a foreign student, especially socializing with
the locals? How did you view the relationship in your classroom as a social environment,
and, you know, psychological, the language barrier, if that is a part of this. And you just
give examples. So basically, I want to know what communication barrier you encountered
in school, and probably, when you go to the malls and the markets. How or what are the
barriers you encountered that you did not, maybe, achieve a particular goal when you went
for that moment? And then the second question would be your coping mechanism. What or
how did you cope? What coping mechanism did you employ in order to face some of these
challenges? And how has it gone so far? So we would just start immediately. Okay! So we
can start. I don't know if I have to mention your name or even if you want to go at
random.

MATEO: I am Nigerian. So greetings again. On my first day here, when I arrived, I was
told, this is an English-speaking country, and I wouldn't have a hard time communicating
with the locals. But to my greatest surprise, I was even told that, in the university, you're
not allowed to speak other languages, especially for the teachers. But the teacher said
one time... the teacher said... it's hard to communicate... to teach students in English.
And they may not be able to understand. So it's a math class. So I just take it as a joke
the way I reacted to it. But you know, one thing I used to understand, they said "When
you go to Rome, you behave like Romans. For now, I understand, after being informed
that this is an English-speaking country and then beginning to hear the Ilonggo language
in class, especially in college schools, it was kind of bad. But again, you know, I don't
want to make transactions with them, especially with the locals. I get to familiarize myself
with the longer term. I think that currently, I don't get the idea that you are in the
Philippines, so you need to learn to communicate in their language. So I have to adapt to
it and see things they see as jokes. And it's because it's a joke. They are joking about it
and I would not see it as a joke. And just pick it out. So this is one of the barriers we have
in communicating with them. In the first instance, and some of the cultures here, you
have to adapt to it. I didn't have any problems with that apart from the learning aspects.
But especially the culture and language, one of the other... you know... coming from my
country where all speak English, and have different languages, and trying to learn some
of the languages that are from nowhere. Where it came from... when to start... and when
to stop. So I have to look for translators who will be able to help me out. I think that
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should answer the first question. So in the second question, the coping mechanism that I
had to employ to be able to have good communication skills with the locals, first of all, I
look for translators, my neighbors, and my classmates that can communicate in English
whenever I have difficulties understanding sentences. What I just do is, pick up the
sentence, try to translate it, and some of the sentences are quite easy to understand. I
was able to... like... ask what is the meaning of these... What is the meaning of this... So
currently, I think, I know like 80% of Hiligaynon. But I can't speak. I can only understand
but I can't reply in Hiligaynon. I just replied in English. Most of them understand me in
English. It's just... I don't know if they are shy or I don't know what it is called. But they
understand English. But they also have a hard time communicating in English. So these
are the adaptive mechanisms that I used to communicate with the locals.

RESEARCHER: Alright! Thank you so much for that.

RESEARCHER: Alright! Thank you so much again for your comments and examples...
Thank you so much. So Mateo... Mateo... Yeah, examples of the cultural barrier you faced
or maybe the language barrier example?

MATEO: The language barrier, basically speaking Hiligaynon for example, when the
teacher is explaining in English in the class, and they're trying to understand the whole
sentence, and Hiligaynon comes inside, and it breaks up the whole understanding. So
then, when it comes to the culture like for example, when I first time seeing these fiestas,
their preparation, I do not understand how things go about, but it was like a culture,
basically their own culture, I don't know if it is related to Catholics. For their fiesta, they
go to the church, and after the mass, it's the start of their fiesta. I did not understand
how it has been done, until, you know, after asking questions, that's how I knew about it.
Basically, that's how... Those are the barriers that I feel.

MATEO: I understand, I think probably, their friends are different, the group of friends
you have, a different group of friends. Since I came here, I have had a different set of
friends. There are those, though you invite them to go out, they tell you to bring
something with you. Then, there are groups of friends who would not tell you to bring
anything. They will be the ones to pay, and then, there will be a group of friends that,
when they invite you, expect you to use your last money. So every time I get an
invitation, my mindset is to put something in my pocket. And then, if nobody brings out
money, I investigate if I need to pay or not. Then another thing I wanted to add is, I have
a problem with typing messages. In Nigeria, we call and say whatever you want to say.
And it's easier, but here, they type it. In your reaction, when you're angry, you use capital
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letters. So most of the time, when I try to show my emotions, I may not be able to
pinpoint what I want to say directly to the person. You might think I'm joking, they might
not know I'm damn serious. So basically, sometimes, that's a communication barrier.
Especially in sending messages. That is one of the most difficult communications I had
when I was here in the Philippines.

RESEARCHER: Okay! Thank you so much. Thank you so much again and God bless you.
Thank you if you want. I'm going to share with you my studies once I'm done, so at least
you can also have a copy but I'll just keep you all updated. Thank you. Alright, thank you.
You all have a very good weekend. bye!

RESEARCHER: Okay! Alright, so basically the title of my research is "Communication

Barrier and Coping Mechanism: A Closer Look at International Students’
Struggles". So we're going to talk about the struggles, and how you were able to cope.
What are the coping mechanisms you've used, especially in relation building? While you're
studying, also communicating with the locals. So our first question is "What are the
communication barriers you encountered as a foreign student, especially socializing with
the locals? How did you view the relationship in your classroom as a social environment,
and, you know, psychological, the language barrier, if that is a part of this. And you just
give examples. So basically, I want to know what communication barrier you encountered
in school, and probably, when you go to the malls and the markets. How or what are the
barriers you encountered that you did not, maybe, achieve a particular goal when you
went for that moment? And then the second question would be your coping mechanism.
What or how did you cope? What coping mechanism did you employ in order to face
some of these challenges? And how has it gone so far? So we would just start
immediately. Okay! So we can start. I don't know if I have to mention your name or even
if you want to go at random.

MIA: For me, that number one, I'll go straight to that one. I would say the language barrier
because when I first came here just in 2018, I speak in English because I don't speak any
Filipino language. So when I speak, when I speak English, they respond something like
"ha? "ha? "ha? What did you say? Something like, for just one word, I have to say it 5
times. Maybe my pronunciation is quite... I don't know, but I'm really... I lost my
confidence to speak. So I avoid speaking with most people. So even I go to shopping
malls, somewhere to buy food, they seem jealous of my English. That's kind of a language
barrier. So that's for the first question. And also, when I socialize with friends, sometimes,
because they speak their language and then, sometimes I feel my... I hear my name...
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like... I'm down there... speaking their language, I just hear my name. I don't know what
they are talking about, but I hear my name. If they discussed things about me... they're
talking about me... So I just... It's something like... I'm shy... I'm not feeling comfortable.
Even though my friends, mostly, speak the language, even though I was there. So it's hard
to communicate with them. Mostly they like "nose bleeding". They don't even... They don't
even... mostly talk to me. That is for the first question, the language barrier. So it's about
communicating with them. And also, I'm kind of an introverted person. So mostly, I stay in
my room. If I need to go to school, will just go, and after school, I go back. Just a little
socializing with my friends. But mostly, I stay in my room. So I would do my assignments,
and other things to do. So mostly, I stayed. Sometimes, I go shopping. I go to the mall. I
go to the store. I go to the bookstore and find my book. I read books in my room. But
sometimes, I watch movies. So that's how I cope with this communication barrier. I stay in
my room.

MIA: So I miss a few things. When I was there, I do believe, I'm actually Filipino and I
grew up in a household where they spoke the local language. I do understand, but it's not
100%. So even though, I still struggle a lot because... sorry... When I was there, it was too
hard. It's like a burden to have, where I'm working because I do speak English for the
majority of the time. And maybe, they don't feel comfortable with me because I think, they
see like... they feel... like they should speak English with me. That's what I'm thinking. So
they... What I noticed was, with a group, when we work, they struggle to communicate
with me because even though I tell them "You can speak Ilonggo to me" then like...
they're trying to speak English to me and it's just language barrier issues. Psychologically,
there is a big difference between the State and the Philippines. So I believe, there is a very
different mindset between the US and the Philippines. And I grew up in the States. I guess,
we talk differently, and let's say, we're more open... we're more really open... And gender-
related concern, maybe like it's pretty common to the people here. What are your
pronouns. You say, in the Philippines, I guess, I don't know how how to explain it, but I
am not saying, I guess they're like, they don't practice as much. I want to say they are
educated but it's not as common there, precisely for gender-related. I could go into more
detail later when I have the examples. Here, we're open to it. Also, some other time when,
Oh my goodness, I get really angry at this, but I don't wanna ruin anything. But one time,
when we were on a night out for my friend's birthday, one local friend said to me, "You
should speak Ilonggo. Why don't you... Why do we adjust to you speaking in English". As if
I learn the whole language in those few moments. That got me really angry but I don't
want to ruin the birthday. So I just kept quiet. And that's for the most part as a foreign
student, in socializing, in the class, in everywhere else. I'll be... I'm usually social,
especially back here in the States. But in the Philippines, I was way more quiet, and sadly,
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most of the time, I'm in school, because I don't want to really deal with these issues or if
you guys heard the "nosebleed" joke that they always say, I get really tired of it. I don't
know what to do. I tried to speak Ilonggo, and then, they made fun of me for it. But if I
speak English, they tell me to... Do you know what I mean? It's like I don't know how to
win. So yeah, that's my number one.

MIA: I could think of a few examples. They're really like... is it ok to be open... like not very
appropriate... but yeah so like... about... I talk about the gender discussion. If I could be a
little open, I identify like in the US, it's common for you, what are your pronouns, and I
identify as female... most part of the LGBTQ community and most of us are pretty much
aware and I have a girlfriend, but over here, I guess, it's not practice as much. This one
guy cause, because I don't trust the girly that matches, I dressed more comfortably in
boy's clothes. And this guy was like "You're a guy right because you dress like guys".
Which is not the case, I just said I'm a girl, I'm not a guy. And another in my PE class was
all female and there are American and foreigners, and our PE teacher who was a guy said,
"This is not for men" or like.... ok this is awkward... we have a lot to say but we're not
gonna say it... and when the time when I went out, "catcalling" is really common over
there. There was a guy... I wear shorts that time... I never wear shorts in the Philippines...
but he tried to grab my part... and I said... ok it's probably harassed... but it's, they're so
yeah... that common thing... what you see in the State sometimes... but it's really ,
they're...

RESEARCHER: Okay! Thank you so much. Thank you so much again and God bless you.
Thank you if you want. I'm going to share with you my studies once I'm done, so at least
you can also have a copy but I'll just keep you all updated. Thank you. Alright, thank you.
You all have a very good weekend. bye!

RESEARCHER: Alright! So, uhmm... You just start on. I just need to get your complete
name, your course of study, and how long have you been in the Philippines.

MASON: Okay! I'm 24 years old. Studying Computer Science.

RESEARCHER: Okay! So how long have you been here in the Philippines?

MASON: Since 2016. So around 6 years. Yes, six years. But if you... But I guess you can
make it 5, 'cause, for a year I was not here. During the pandemic, I was stuck outside.
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RESEARCHER Alright! So I'm not going to be wasting my time. Cause I know, probably
you are just finishing your class. And uhh... So we're just going to go straight. I already
sent the questions, correct?

MASON: Yes! Yes! Questions are with me.

RESEARCHER: Alright! So let's go straight to the questions. So you are just going to answer
the questions. Just the first and the second. For the first one is: What are the
communication barriers you encountered as a foreign student when socializing with the
locals, in terms of relationship building, in the classroom, the social aspects, and the
psychological barrier. And do cite some examples. And then, the second one is your coping
mechanisms and how you cope. What coping mechanism did you employ as a student to
face these challenges?
MASON: Okay! That sounds good!

RESEARCHER: Alright! You just go to answer whenever you're ready. DANIEL: Alright! So
for the first question: What are the communication barriers, I encountered as a foreign
student? Basically, ever since... I was born or... cause I grew up in Indonesia. So... But
even though... Even though I grew up in Indonesia, my parents spoke to me in our local
di... local language, which is Hiligaynon. Sorry... which is Hiligaynon. So I could still... I
could... I could understand Hiligaynon. But I can't... I couldn't speak it. If you could
understand what I mean.

RESEARCHER: K.

MASON: Since I was used to it, since I was young, and I could make like... I could really
understand the words. I just couldn't speak it. Just like Tagalog. I used to watch a lot of
shows abroad like Filipino TV. We have that in Jakarta. So, they would speak Tagalog. I
would like... catch... I would pick up the language through there. So, when I came... When
I arrived here in the Philippines in 2016, to pursue my further studies, I guess, the
biggest... one of the biggest communication barriers was building friendships. I guess...
cause... like... you want to make some friends... you want to talk to some people, but you
don't know how to communicate. Because the moment you speak in English... you... like...
"Oh! English speaking! My nose is bleeding." You know... Stuff like that. Especially in the
classroom. But on my first day of class, I met another foreign student, who by chance, also
thought I was a local. And we... We apparently discovered we were both foreign students.
And I had another foreign student classmate. Their names were Sean and Ishaya. So... so
yeah... so I guess, they help me also. Cause we were in the same... we were in that
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problem together. Like how to communicate with the locals. So, Sean and I, were more
fluent compared to Ishaya, because our parents spoke it... back... back when we were
outside the Philippines. So yeah! I guess... I guess we were... we helped each other in that
regard. Going back to the questions, sorry... it's just a way back story. To go back to the
question: What types of... what communication barriers? So I never have any psychological
barrier, or psychological problem, because I have people who also... we're in the same
position. So I guess, we could relate with each other in that sense. I guess, the only thing
was the language barrier. And also, which I guess is culture, because I came... I came
from Indonesia. And the culture, especially social culture, it's so much different compared
to here in the Philippines, specifically in Iloilo. So how people communicated with me, and
how I replied, sometimes, some... well, it depends on the situation. Some would be
offended or they would never get what I meant. Because the way I communicated in
Indonesia or Indonesian culture, is very different compared to Filipino culture. Especially
when we talked about social cues, verbal cues, or probably, even when you tease each
other. It's very different. So I try to apply whatever things that I... that... I picked up
Indonesian culture here. But it never really... you know... resonated with the locals. Some
will be offended. Some would be thinking that I was... I had a high ego or high pride
because of my attitude. But for me, I wasn't like that. It's just that... It's how we
communicate in Indonesia. So yeah, I guess that's one of the barriers that I really
struggled with. It took me 4 years to finally get in touch with the culture here in the
Philippines, especially social culture. That's the biggest barrier that I have to face here in
the Philippines.

RESEARCHER: K. Alright! Can you give some examples of social culture? Like maybe one or
two.

MASON: Okay! Let's say number one when you address teachers or older people, I was
culture-shocked, in a way, here you are allowed to say... you're allowed to address by
"you"... For example, when you ask your teacher, "Where are you eating" Diin..? Can I
speak in Hiligaynon? May I speak in Hiligaynon now?

RESEARCHER: Yeah, that's fine.

MASON: Because I cannot... I cannot really catch the language. Anyway, so here, they
would ask the teacher "Diin ka makaon?" or "Where are you going to eat?" So they address
the teacher directly. But in Indonesia, you are not allowed to address the teacher as "you".
You would say for example... for example... my teacher's name would be, just for the sake
of this argument, let's say, teacher's name is, I don't know. Sarah. So if I would say like
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"Where are you eating?'', I couldn't do that in Indonesia. I would say like, "Where is Sara
eating? That's how it works there. You need to address them indirectly as... a sign... to
show respect. That's one... that's one thing that I had to adjust with because every time
some... someone would say that to their teacher, Uhhh bro! What are you doing (laughter)
Cause I think, in Indonesia, if you do that, the teacher will really really get mad at you. And
one more, social cue, I guess. On how people... wait... I need to think... I think, one other
social culture thing is that, is that I couldn't get used to this, is how people, especially the
texting culture here, like how people text. So apparently, I found out that, if people text
here, usually, the way they text, will kind of... give him... or for example in college, there is
a lot of love. I don't know love life happenings. Like that... So let's say when a boy and a
girl will chat with each other, there are certain social cues that can hint at when the girl or
that guy likes the other person. So it's weird. It's very different from how Indonesians do
it. So when I first came here, there was a girl who was talking to me. Then I had... The...
the way I replied, apparently, she thought I had something for her when I was just being
me. You know what I mean?

RESEARCHER: Yeah! Yeah!

MASON: So that made me... I was like... Oh really? She thought I liked her? But the way I
talk, I usually talk in Indonesian. So I had to adjust to that. Like, I had to adjust what I
say and be careful of what I said. Cause sometimes, I will not even know that her giving
me a hint that she likes me, and the way I replied, apparently, indirectly showed that I was
reciprocating those feelings, but I have no idea that I was. I don't know if you can relate to
that but...

RESEARCHER: Yeah! Yeah! I totally understand you. Most of the time, like because of the
social culture here, they tend to be misinterpreting you and you also misinterpret them.

MASON: Yes! Exactly! When I... when I do it, it was just a friendly thing. They apparently
thought, I have a thing for them and I have something, and then bruhhhh... Something
like that. Also, there would be times when I would... when I would talk, they would think I
was being proud. You know, because of being...

RESEARCHER: Suplada. Suplado.

MASON: Yeah! Suplado. Suplada. But it wasn't anything like that on my side. At least,
because I guess... I guess... It's because of the language barrier. They think, if you speak
English, you automatically seem to feel prouder and anything. Stuff like that. Yeah! So I
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guess that is one of the barriers that I encounter here. Okay! So what coping mechanism
do I employ as a foreign student? So I guess, one coping mechanism was, I made friends
with some... with some people from here... that have open-mindedness for certain things.
And they weren't like... they would not assume anything. Something like that. So I guess,
they also taught me or us, how to... how to also deal with this kind of people or like... they
also teach us "in our culture, like this, in our culture like this," So I guess, I would just... I
guess... I would just be open-minded and just learn. And not to have that mindset that
people should always adjust to me. You know... Like, I should also adjust to the culture,
since I'm here anyway. And yeah, I have to adjust. But not to the point when I change my
identity since I still have... I still think... that I'm still identified with Indonesian culture. In
the sense that I grew up in that culture. So I would still relate to that, more than Filipino
culture. Even though I am a Filipino by blood. So yeah. That is one way and I think,
another coping mechanism for me was to, basically, just learn the language I guess. When
I was, I think, when I was first here, I would refuse to even try to learn or like to learn the
language because like... why should I adjust? You know... Something like that. But in any
way, learning the language helps you connect with the locals here and wIll also make you
relate and know you have something in common. Something like that.

RESEARCHER: Yeah! Yeah! Like me, I've been here for nine years but you know, I don't
see, I don't need the language personally. It took me like 3,4 years to actually cope.

MASON: Yeah! Yeah! Same. It took me around. I think it was only before the year that I
was graduating.

RESEARCHER: It's when my classmates got to know me. To go understand me, because
they're very scared of me because I don't want to come close. They don't know what
they're going to do to make me just laugh at them.

MASON: Yeah! Exactly! I think that 3 to 4 years, it's a seat squad for me. That's why, they
also understand their limits or let's say if they want to teach me about something or
someone says "You have to take it as a joke because in our culture it's like this, it's like
this", so…

RESEARCHER: Yeah! Alright! Basically, that's all. It's not that much. You know on Saturday,
will have more... more people. It will take so much time. Thank you so much.

MASON: Yeah! Yeah! Thank you also. I really apologize for what happened before.
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RESEARCHER: No! No worries! It's no worries. Thank you so much. The most important
thing is I got your side and that got a long way for me. Thank you so much. Like what I
told others on Saturday, if you want, I can share my paper with you.

MASON: Sure! That's good. That's good.

RESEARCHER: No worries! I'll just keep you updated because my defense is next week. So
once I'm done, I will keep you guys updated. So thank you so much!

MASON: Thank you!

RESEARCHER: You have a wonderful day!

MASON: Have a wonderful week. You too.

RESEARCHER: Bye-bye!

RESEARCHER: Alright!

MATTHEW: I've been exhausted all-day

RESEARCHER: Thank you so much again. I'll just want to do a quick introduction. Just
your name, your school, your course of the study, and how long have been in the
Philippines.

MATTHEW: Okay! Sure so starting now?

RESEARCHER: Yeah, you go

MATTHEW: Okay! Good afternoon! I'm actually the secretary of the International Student
Organization at Central Philippine University in 2018, so in 2019 I've become the Vice
President of International students in a CPU as well and the pandemic came. So I
originated from Kuwait, the state of Kuwait. I was born and raised there. Then I came to
college here in Iloilo for it's been, probably six years now and I'm taking up but Tourism.
Okay, that one.
What else do I have to say?
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RESEARCHER: That's okay.

MATTHEW: Okay!

RESEARCHER: Alright! So, thank you so much, Dan, again, and thank you even with your
class you have decided. Since you're not available on Saturday.

MATTHEW: Oh wow!

RESEARCHER: Okay! Yeah, it was an opportunity to vent.. to vent out. So much good.

MATTHEW: To vent out.

RESEARCHER: You already have the questions so...

MATTHEW: Alright! I have it also.

RESEARCHER: Okay! So you... So I'm going to go straight to the questions. You're going
to do all the talking. So answer the first question. The communication barrier you have
encountered as a foreign student.
Alright! Alright! And also your coping mechanism.

MATTHEW: My what?

RESEARCHER: The coping mechanism you employed as a foreign student.

MATTHEW: Oh coping mechanism.

RESEARCHER: That's whenever you're ready.

MATTHEW: Oh sure! Okay! Let's do it now. So for your research, cause I'm also doing
research now. Okay! Let's start. What are the communication barriers you encountered as
a foreign student when socializing with the locals for building relationships in the classroom
as a social environment and some other possible answers that can come with
communication barriers, like psychological barriers, language barriers, in even supporting
lines of barriers from the participants? This is really... Actually, I really appreciate you
opening up on this. It's very helpful to international students because of the majority of our
problems... I was an officer. So more... most of the problems we get were not because of
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like, like the school staff. Everyone, when we have foreign students, school staff was easy.
The majority of the problems we have was like in our classmates, the people of different
kinds of, auhmm.. especially the locals, because we have always this... it's... it's a big leap
of having to different cultures. Especially the culture from outside. It's funny because even
though I'm half Filipino, then I was like auhmm... I've been raised with all international
students, even here or abroad. But it was like, when I came here, I feel more connected
with international students. It feels like, it was just easier. I barely have local friends until
now but the reason is because of that.. was like because literally because of the culture...
language barrier... because it's like we are actually more open. We are more friendly. We
are actually more even talkative. But the thing is like... they have... they have different
ways of how they actually get friends with others and the language barrier is actually a
blocking to know both cultures. It's really amazing when even just stepping inside the
classroom is all a hard part when you know... knowing just your classmates just seeing or
knowing you are from another country, you talk differently. Every time you step into the
classroom every morning or afternoon, they look at you differently. There's this "aura"
thing. But then, just like one of the struggles that we have but the language barrier is the
most thing because when we're trying to connect culture from the locals or not they
always... they always feel pressured to connect to you and at the same time you want to
connect with them. But then, the majority of them will be scared. But actually they didn't
know, that international students are more scared. We are more hesitating. Because you
are literally alone while the majority of the classmates there are all like 30 or 40 of them,
but they are all so scared. They are afraid to commit mistakes or they even have this turn,
when they talk to you and you talked to them in English or any different kind of language,
they are, they call it nosebleed. But in reality, when they.. when you are an international
student and learning the local language, it's more nosebleed to us. It's like the same
perspective. Building a different... building relationship with them was one of the struggles.
Even six years from now, I'm having a hard time still building relationships with local
classmates. Because if they... it comes on culture and language barrier. When I tried to
make jokes or try to make jokes, they don't get it. And when that's how you actually try to
connect or just have a connection or relationship with others. If you talk to them seriously
or even you talk to them with humor. That's how you actually connect. And having
different cultures and how the way you speak it's hard to like... to connect because the
locals and international students and for the social environment. Aside from the locals, the
Filipinos are hospitable, they're very nice but then they're always... they always have a
limit. When it comes to their conversation with you it's just like you try something off
then... then just like a few minutes, the conversation ends. because they don't know how
to continue. They don't know how to reply, but they just gave you a smile, and they'll just
be happy that you talked to them. That's it. But how you connect with... keep on your
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conversing... conversing. So that one. That's one of the main struggles, of the many
international students in my university
That's how locals treated other nationalities especially the Koreans, especially the Nigerian,
especially.. a lot of us actually. They see us as... They see us international students As
someone high. Cause we speak English, they think we're smarter, cause we come from
other countries. We are more experienced and like this... we are richer than... You know...
But there's sometimes a cultural difference, where the locals try to ask "Hey can you give
me some like some... like what we have back home or you can give me some snacks or
anything... you know... as a joke but they don't know that actually asking this kind of stuff
to other nationalities is offensive to them. But they don't know that, the locals are actually
joking. So that's like our real main... our real main problem when it comes to international
students here in the Philippines. So what do they also have to tackle so far?

RESEARCHER: Yeah! What are your coping mechanisms or what coping mechanisms did
you employ?

MATTHEW: For the second one, what coping mechanism do you employ as a foreign
student based on the challenges? With coping mechanisms, what we can do is... whatever
happens... wherever you go, even the locals go international or international go local in the
Philippines. Whatever happens, you have to adapt.

RESEARCHER: Yeah!

MATTHEW: You have to remove your ego. You have to remove your pride. You have to
sometimes you haven... have to erase what you have learned and the culture you know
back home. You have to try to learn the culture just to feel open to connect to them
because if you bring the kind of attitude you had in your country back home, you really
never connect with them unless they see what you're trying to point out. So when you are
stepping in a new country erase... not really erase what you know but try to learn all the
cultures. Try to learn the language, try to know how to connect in even just like
movements and some smiles or some gestures, you can do that to connect to the locals
here. Coping mechanism... more of like.... being always connected with them. As an
international student and being alone in one classroom, you always have to have positive
energy and you have to have these... Give them an essence of the words you are saying
and you want to be close to them. You want to learn with them and you are also willing to
teach what you have back home when these happen, this is how you will connect with
people and students and you guys will be close together. But they will actually know that
"wow" you're actually very nice. You actually like... even though you come from there, you
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wanna learn... you want to be with us because what matters for them is like, they feel
appreciated when you are trying to be with them. So that's how I cope with the people in
the locals. That's how I get close to locals and for me, learning that way, I even educate
them. Did you know what, this is actually what all international students feel like for you
locals. Whatever happens, talk to them. They are actually very nice. They want to open up
and they try their best to be close to locals. They just love the hospitality of the Filipinos
here as well. That's why.

RESEARCHER: Alright! Thank you so much, Matthew.MATTHEW:

RESEARCHER: Yeah!

RESEARCHER: Yeah! Thank you so much. I know you just coming from class. So let me let
you rest.

MATTHEW: Alright! Alright! Thank you. I actually enjoyed it.

RESEARCHER: Thank you so much, Matthew. Alright, have a good day.

MATTHEW: Have a good day.

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Appendix G

Essays

Mason - As a student, I find it very difficult to understand my academics in better detail.

Compared to my classmates I tend to lag behind and ask for translations to better

understand my subjects if my teachers were to speak in Hiligaynon or Tagalog which

happened often. I also find it difficult to relate to my classmates in our social gatherings.

Last year when I was invited to an outing to hang out with my friends I sometimes feel left

out when they banter amongst each other. I usually sit and try to understand what they

are talking about so I may try to join in the conversation.

I have an unconscious tendency to zone out if people speak in a language I don’t

understand. I usually assume that people aren't speaking to me or that the subject does

not involve me. However recently I try to better understand my family, friends, and

classmates by trying to study the language at my own pace. I study by picking up words

from conversations I listen to. I ask my family the meaning of different words I do not

know. And lastly, I try to speak the language as practice when I commute or when I banter

with family and friends. However, I do feel shy and embarrassed when I make small

mistakes. This doesn't bother me that much because it gives a good laugh for all those

involved including myself.

Mia- I am a 4th-year Computer Science student at Central Philippine University. I am an

American and I lived in the Philippines for about 3 years until I moved back to the States

and finished my school online from there due to COVID. During those 3 years, I had many
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ups and downs while living there. I managed to meet some good people there and even

my best friend who is from Chicago like I am. If you asked us about our experience in the

Philippines, we probably would list out some good times but also a lot of bad times or

traumatic ones.

One difference between my best friend and me is that she is actually fluent in Ilonggo

while I am not. I can understand it and she was able to translate for other people since I

only speak English, but it was a struggle when I was in the class by myself or out by

myself. If someone were to be paired with me in class, the foreigner, they’d be delighted

because I was unique and different from all of them. However, some might not seem as

excited because it would mean they’d have to speak English. They would say that it’s okay,

but I would feel like it's bothersome because I overthink and think they’re uncomfortable

with me. There are also times when they’re ‘too comfortable’ and want to test their English

skills with broken English then say “nosebleed” to every English word that’s been spoken

out loud. The nosebleed joke got old to me really fast and annoying to the point that I

rather not speak and just sit at the back of the class even though I am normally social.

Another time when I got frustrated due to language barriers was when I went out for my

local friend’s birthday. One of her friends there said to me “You should speak Ilonggo! Why

do we always have to be the ones to adjust to you by speaking English” as if I can learn to

speak a whole new language in those few minutes. That really got me angry but I didn’t

want to ruin my friend's birthday. I tend to avoid those that do say things like all of that

and rather be with people who really don’t care about the fact that I am American and talk

to me normally.
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Although Filipinos are nice and generous people, they act and think differently compared to

the people I grew up around in the States. Based on my experience, I noticed that the

Philippines still has some sort of an “old school” mindset. For example, my PE teacher was

a man and his entire class were all females. Half the class was also American girls. We

came into a topic of a certain sport and although I don’t remember what sport it was, I

knew it was a sport that females did play back home. This man said “This sport is for MEN.

Girls can play this sport-” and all of the American girls looked at each other and had the

same face saying “Excuse me?” Knowing how most of us no longer follow the belief of men

being dominant over women and knowing how vocal, open, and upfront Americans can be

for topics like that, it was no surprise that we all gave a disgusted look. There were also

many times when people would constantly stare at you. It's normal for them but in the

States, it would be considered very rude and you might get called out for that. You’d be

lucky if no one starts a fight or argument with you. It was also common for men to easily

catcall women wherever they go. I was literally wearing baggy clothing, a sweater, and

glasses with my hair up to avoid all of that yet I still get

Catcalled on. I tell locals and they consider it normal because that’s how men are. Why do

they make it normal? It doesn’t have to be normal. My butt has been touched and I've

been grabbed before because they think I would not do anything about it which was

definitely not the case. This was mostly coming from the older generation so I'm glad it’s

not as common with the younger generation.

Although there were many frustrations and struggles I had in the Philippines, I found

multiple coping mechanisms that helped me get through it. Since foreigners have a small

population in the Philippines, it's relieving to find other foreigners in the same country as
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you. Even if you know or don’t know the other foreigners, it still gives you a sense of

comfort knowing that you’re not alone in a new country. The thought of them possibly

going through the same struggles as you did makes me feel like I wasn’t going through this

all by myself. I did manage to find foreign friends and local friends who accept me just the

way I am. We would hang out, party, and see other foreigners from other schools. Those

were the times when I felt the most comfortable. Aside from that, I would usually walk

around SM and play at the arcade where I would destress. My friends and I would also go

on night drives or weekend night outs to destress from all the requirements we had to do

for school. I found many things that distracted me from my struggles and they helped me

get through it.

It is expected for foreigners to deal with some difficulties because it’s a new country to

them so they would not know what to expect at first. There were many things that irritated

me but also plenty of things that gave me comfort. Filipinos are great people and I manage

to find amazing local friends so I was not trying to make it seem like all locals treated me

poorly. I just needed people who treated me normally or wouldn’t treat me so differently

just because I’m foreign. However, experiencing all of the struggles were also lessons I

managed to grow from and even though it was so frustrating, I believe I would not be the

person I am today without them. The Philippines gave me a lot of frustrations but there

were also many good times that I experienced like University Days, night drives, watching

sunset or sunrise (which were my favorite), and much more. I’m happy with how these

struggles shaped me into becoming a better version of myself compared to how I was

before and I’m glad I got the experience to live abroad.

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Michael-I am from Myanmar and I study music at the University of San Agustin. I am here

in the Philippines for almost five years.

My communication barrier is a language barrier. When I first came to the Philippines, it was

difficult to communicate with the locals. Whenever I go to buy some food, most people

cannot understand my English. It may be because of my pronunciation or because I speak

fast. So, I repeated it again and again. That makes me uncomfortable and I lost my

confidence. Also in school, the teacher speaks English but not all the time. So, I have to

study double to understand the lesson. When I do socialize with my friend, they speak

their languages and I was out of that conversation. Sometimes I heard my name and they

are laughing. I thought they are talking about me or gossiping about me. I do not feel

comfortable at all. For the cultural barrier, one day, I and my friend met with our teacher

on our way to the next class. My friend greet the teacher and I did not. Then my friend

told me that I am rude because I did not greet my teacher. That accusation makes me

bad. In my country, if we don’t have a close enough relationship, we don’t greet each

other. But depends on the person’s mind. Here in the Philippines, people love to greet. For

example, if five people see me on my way to the bathroom, those five people greet me,

and so I have to reply five times to the same question. People love to ask so many

questions but all the questions are the same like “How are you?” “Why did you choose the

Philippines?” “How to say this word in Burmese?” “Have you tried Jollibee, adobo, and so

on…?” So, those are the communication barriers I encounter as a foreign student in the

Philippines.

Mostly, I avoid socializing with people. I only socialize with people who are comfortable

with me. I stay in my room, sometimes, the whole day, watching movies, reading books,
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listen to music. I try to learn the local dialect the way they speak English and their culture

as well. Because my country and the Philippines have different usages in the Philippines,

people say “phone load” but in my country, we say “phone bill” or something like that.

Matthew - State of Kuwait I as a foreign student, have a lot of experiences and struggles

that I would love to share. Anyone who actually travels abroad or to different countries are

set to experience different mechanisms, cultures, attitudes, languages, different race, and

more we all know that being independent and traveling and studying abroad will be faced

different challenges that are going to be really hard at the start but totally worth it in the

end. Being far apart from your hometown has a lot of setbacks but at the same time gives

you a lot of learnings that you will not establish from experiencing in your comfort zone

just in your own hometown. So When socializing with different nationalities and the locals,

it was a struggle to understand each other, aside from that it is also hard to communicate

and share one's thoughts or opinions and even just a simple conversation, which makes

you feel like you do not belong. Having a conversation or even getting to know each other

often comes from the introduction and in the midst it also contains to have some humor in

your dialect, which you cannot just establish humor if you do not even understand the

language. Laughter, fun conversations, humor, memes and other stuff that just keeps and

brings you together with the locals and share memories are mostly not attainable just

because of the language barrier that we have towards them and them towards us. Most

local students and people would not give in to uncomfortable situations for them just to

converse with you or even most of them are afraid to even just speak the universal

language for those who are not used to it or not literate in that language just to converse
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with you. Because of this, we often establish psychological barriers which we tend to have

low self-esteem, not feeling too open to others, or even just social anxiety when we tend

to be in the classroom and even upon entering, as people and students just give different

attention if it is not their own or not a local who is entering the room. Not that they are

doing it in a bad way, but it is just a feeling that for them it is not normal or different that

they seem to appreciate it and give more attention to it.

Aside from all the cons, there are also pros when it comes to this situation where you are

from a foreign country with a foreign language and dialect. At first, it would always be a

struggle and something hard to cope with, but in the latter and reality-wise, these people

and students actually look up to you and see you differently in terms of being grown up

abroad and having different culture and practices, at the same time they know that you are

more intelligent and independent as being a foreign student you need to travel to different

places just to take up your education or excel in what you are interested in while in a

foreign country. We, foreign students, are lucky to study here in the Philippines as most of

them know how to communicate well, especially in the universal English language. The

locals too have a really good personality and are very hospitable and kind towards foreign

students. They see us still like a real friend and family which is what we appreciate the

most which makes our struggles and hardships easier with the help of the locals.

There is a lot to go through when you are a foreign student living in a foreign country.

Each and everyday life is a challenge for us as our daily lives would drastically just changed

from its sceneries, environment, public vehicles, traffic, and many more we see in our daily

lives are so different compared to where we live in our hometown. Being independent and

embracing the reality of being alone as a foreign student in a foreign country is one of the
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things we should accomplish and strive through. There will always be mixed feelings every

day as we journey in a new country that evolves us changing and being better people by

learning different kinds of languages, cultures, and learning environments and also

embracing to learn the local way. I was able to feel open and be more kind and welcoming

to others since I know that I should learn how to survive and meet people in order to do

good and be known for the place. Learning and even teaching my own dialect and

language to students and the locals are one way to share thoughts and conversation which

makes us feel closer to one another. Showing respect and practicing the culture of the

locals is also one way to cope which makes the locals think that you are interested in their

hometown and you truly appreciate the culture. Being open-minded and happy towards

one another will help you as a foreign student be connected to other students since

sharing positive energy and aura is contagious and easier to connect with.

One thing also that most locals would appreciate is when you are showing your own

culture as well, sharing stories, at the same time giving they gifts or souvenirs from your

hometown just gives them a melt in the heart and very appreciative towards one another. I

always try to learn their language little by little and as I learn their language, I feel like I

get to connect and converse more with other students, at the same time share funny

conversations, laughter and just having a prolonged conversation soothes us that it feels

like we are not two different nationalities connecting to one another. Given to this when

you’re able to adopt, it would be easier to ask for help or seek assistance from the locals or

your local classmates, at the same time they also help maintain emotionally supportive

relationships and help me be composed or also express distressing emotions. Since our

loved ones, friends and relatives are all far away from home, yet you’re in a different
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country, foreign culture, foreign friends, and local students you have to stand up for

yourself, adapt, learn, and appreciate the things you are going through as a foreign

student and step by step you build yourself up until you can say that you can and surely

could live in that country at the same time you get to appreciate and love the place you

have traveled or stayed far away from home.

Mateo- a Nigerian citizen, student of the University of San Agustin taking up Medical

Technician in the final year.

Communication first of all is the act of passing vital information from one person to

another. At first, when I arrived, I had no issues communicating with people because most

people around me understand what I was saying and I understand the message they are

trying to pass.

In the school setting, for example in my class, I started experiencing a communication

barrier. I noticed that information was passed in “Hiligaynon” and not in English. Secondly,

the books are written in English but the explanation is in Filipino. According to the teacher

that is for the student to understand what is been written. I find it hard especially when

information is passed and I can’t meet up with that information. I was excused in some

cases, like if we need to submit something but I failed to submit mine, the teacher then

explains. So in order to adjust I made friends, and learn a few words, and when

information is passed in class and I found out it’s information I call out to the teacher's

attention to explain the information. My friends also offer help to explain it to me but

sometimes it is not clear or what exactly the teacher would explain. So most preferably I

go directly to the teacher to explain it.

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On the other side, outside school walls, taking public transport to go to the market, hang

out with my friends. I find it hard as well to take a taxi because there was a time when I

entered a taxi, I told the driver to take me to “Jaro” with the “J” not knowing it was “J”

pronounced as “H”. The taxi driver laughed and knew I am a foreigner and connected with

me. There was also a time a told a driver to take me to a club or bar and looking at me as

a foreigner the driver took me to a strip club. He actually asked me something but I did not

understand what he said so my answer was yes, so we went to a strip club. Most time

when I go out with friends they pay for my things, it is one different thing where I came

from, everyone pays for their own except it is a treat.

When it comes to jeepney transportation, I was shy during my first ride because I saw

people passing the money to give to the driver, I know it was payment but I don’t know

what to say to make the payment. I don’t know what to say as well when I want to come

down from the jeepney when I reached my destination.

Going to the market is a bit easy or buying things from the market. There is this awkward

feeling though because a lot of people are looking at me and I do not know what they are

saying. There are some that called me “Negro” which is disrespectful in our culture and

some call me “Joe”. Some of them have the courage to ask me if I get offended when they

call me “Negro”. Honestly, I find it very annoying and wasn’t very happy but as time goes

on I just got used to it. Filipinos are friendly but they do not know how to express it or say

so they look at you as a foreigner. They communicate but most of the time they just smile.

So I learn to communicate first by stating “Hi” “Hello” or “Kamusta”.

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So basically, communication for me wasn’t that hard because I made friends that speaks

English and can translate what I asked. I just studied learning the Filipino language and

writing it for communication.

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