CO3201/3211 CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION FINAL PROJECT PAPER

NAME LEE PUI TENG HO SUE LEEN PIONG JUAN XIAN AIRU IMADA

STUDENT ID I11008726 111009217 I11008814 I11009031

HP NUMBER 012-2349108 016-3091808 016-7672056 01116283623

EMAIL ADDRESS leepuiteng@hotmail.com sueleen92@gmail.com rex.stylish@hotmail.com lcystr-k.h@live.jp.

PROGRAM: BMCMI DUE DATE: MONDAY, 16 APRIL 2012 BY 12noon LECTURER: K.FREEMAN DECLARATION: We, hereby declare that the attached project paper is our own work and understand that in accordance with the university policy, if we are suspected of plagiarism or any other form of cheating, our work will be referred to the Head of Discipline and/or Dean of Faculty who may as a result recommend to the Programme that we receive a Fail grade for our paper and/or the subject.

-------------------------------------------, Name: LEE PUI TENG

-------------------------------------------, Name: HO SUE LEEN

-------------------------------------------, Name: PIONG JUAN XIAN

-------------------------------------------, Name: AIRU IMADA

FACTORS AFFECTING THE ADJUSTMENT OF FOREIGN STUDENTS IN MALAYSIA

Abstract This research project was aimed at investigating the factors affecting the adjustment of international students in Malaysia. This study consisted of 160 international students in private universities in Malaysia. Even though international students represent around 5 per cent of all tertiary enrolments in Malaysia, the population of international students in Malaysia is on the increase year by year. However, there are plenty of factors, which they are facing a new educational system and social environment. Most of international students who have purpose to study in foreign country have to face the challenges that are connected to their adjustment experiences. They have need of coping with the differences between their own cultural values and customs. The finding from this research was a sign of how they adapt and challenge with problems in Malaysia in terms of behavior, external and time how long they need to take time to adapt in Malaysia. Basically, what we found in this research is the longer they stay in Malaysia, the less problems they have and face. This research attaches and implies to the understanding of international students adjustment processes and guides a lot of ways for next generation.

1.1 Introduction Issue that international students face adjustment difficulties when engaging in international education is not new. For example, as early as 1963, many researchers have conducted studies on attitudes and social relations of foreign students (Selltiz, Christ, Havel, & Cook, 1963). And their results have shown that there are many complex challenges students facing while travelling to other countries to undertake university or other educational courses, particularly if their home country culture is extremely different from the host country culture. Nevertheless, given their culturally diverse backgrounds, international students may experience adjustment strains within their host environment that are unique to them.

It is not surprising that the physical and psychological well being of students, as well as their academic performance, can be affected by some adjustment challenges (Ward, Bochner & Furnham, 2001). These relatively short-term visitors to a new culture (or sojourners), who come for purposes other than permanent settlement, are likely to experience culture shockwhich refers to the feeling of distress and unease when being exposed to a foreign culture resulting from the sudden loss of all familiar signs and symbols of everyday life, with consequent psychological stress and use of coping. The four main adjustment problems faced by international students who summarized by Tseng and Newton (2002) are: (a) general living adjustment, (b) socio-cultural adjustment, (c) personal psychological adjustment, and (d) academic adjustment. There are few more researchers done the similar topic such as Lin and Yi, 1997. Researcher has also shown that when international students suffer from a variety of adjustment issues, it can lead to their emotional changing include: helplessness, hostility toward the host country, anxiety, and over-identification with the home country, insomnia, low motivation, lacking in self confidence, withdrawal, homesickness, and loneliness. The Malaysian international education sector has grown immensely during the past period and Malaysia is fast becoming a center of educational excellence in the region. It is progressively becoming a hub for education as international students are continuously gathering the corridors of Malaysian universities and colleges are still attracting many International students from different parts of world. We can see that by the number of international students in Malaysia has increased from 30 thousand in the year 2003 to 90

thousand until June 2011. Most of them are come from Southeast Asia, Middle Eastern countries, Middle Asia, and African countries, and a minimal number from Europe. The Malaysian government supports cultural diversity through internationalization. This is evident by in bound and out bound mobility programs in local universities. At the same time, this phenomenon has created new subcultures in the country. Certain towns in Malaysia are flavored with international ambiance through the existence of international population and international housing areas, as well as shopping outlets and restaurants serving international delights. Perhaps this will help international students reduce some of their cultural shock. In this study, we will examines the challenges that faced by international students in Malaysia local education institutions. By gathering and evaluating the information, is useful for university management to better understand adjustment problems faced by international students and be better able to counsel individuals experiencing such stress. Moreover, they can also prepare incoming international students to better handle the pressures they are likely to encounter.

1.2 Purpose According to Studying International Students: Adjustment Issues and Social Support (Zhai, 2004), adjusting to academic stress, cultural differences and language challenges are found as their three most significant challenges. Thus, the purpose of this research is to know what adjustments foreign and international students have make or how they behave to adapt the environments around them while studying in Malaysia. This research would like to focus on their behavior part and to find out the adjustments they made as it may be important for other countries students who are interested in studying in Malaysia. It can help those students to know how those people went through it and may let them have some mental preparation. Other than that, this research is also trying to study the biggest challenges that faced by foreign and international students when they are studying in Malaysia. Due to A Comparison of International Students and Administrative Perceptions at Two Private, Religiously Affiliated Universities (Galloway & Jenkins, 2009), the first three ranking of the challenged by faculty and administrative perceptions are English language, living services and socio-personal. It is important as it may let the students know what challenges that they will face and can make a prediction before they come to Malaysia for study or be the references for them to consider studying in Malaysia. Besides, the time foreign and international students really take to adapt in Malaysia also the purpose of this research. Although we might know there are some differences as it is quite depends on personal, but it also can be the references for them to study in Malaysia.

1.3 Objectives 1. To study how foreign/international students adapt to their surroundings while studying in Malaysia. (behavior) 2. To learn what are the biggest challenges that foreign/international students face while trying to adapt studying in Malaysia. (External) 3. To investigate the time foreign/international students really take to adapt in Malaysia. (time)

1.4 Research Questions

Question 1: How do international students get used to the surroundings while studying in Malaysia? Question 2: What are the challenges that international students face while studying in Malaysia? Question 3: How much time is needed for international students to adapt in Malaysia?

1.5 Key Terms

1.5.1 Psychological

The word psychology is derived from the Greek word psyche, meaning 'soul' or 'mind.' The field and study of psychology was truly born when Wilhelm Wundt established the first experimental psychology lab in Leipzig, Germany in 1879. His work was focused on describing the structures that compose the mind. This perspective relied heavily on the analysis of sensations and feelings through the use of introspection, a highly subjective process. Wundt believed that properly trained individuals would be able to accurately identify the mental processes that accompanied feelings, sensations and thoughts.

Thus psychology is both a practical and academic field that studies the human mind and behavior. Research in psychology seeks to understand and explain thought, emotion and

behavior. This key term is important because through psychology we can understand what are the factors that trying to influence the mind or emotions of international students and how they overcome it.

1.5.2 Culture Shock

The online Oxford Dictionary defines culture shock as disorientation experienced when suddenly subjected to an unfamiliar culture or way of life. For example when someone move to a new country, everything is unfamiliar; weather, landscape, language, food, dress, social roles, values, customs and communication - basically, everything they used to is no longer. They will find that the day unfolds differently; the stores are opened and closed at hours that they could never predict. Their patterns are off-kilter, the smells, sounds and tastes are unusual and they can't communicate with the locals - not even to buy a loaf of bread. This is culture shock. And like any form of shock, there is a definite and almost certain reaction. This key term is important because it relate to the second objective, which is to learn what are the biggest challenges that foreign/international students face while trying to adapt studying in Malaysia.

1.5.3 Social Cultures

Social and cultural environment is to profound the influence of the environment in our local nation and institution.

1.7 Conclusion

The purpose of this article was to review literature related to the adjustment issues of international students have make or how they behave to adapt the environments around them when they enrolled in Malaysia of higher education. As a result, there are four main adjustments, which are general living adjustment, socio-cultural adjustment, personal psychological adjustment and academic adjustment. Researcher had shown that when international students feel suffer, it could lead their emotional changing. Besides, the number of international students has increased. Most of the international students are come from Southeast Asia, Middle Eastern countries, Middle Asia and African countries. Furthermore, the objective of this research is to study about what are the biggest challenges they faced. Moreover, we also would like to investigate how many times does international students took to adapt in Malaysia. The objectives and research questions are very similar to the purpose. It is to study how foreign/international students adapt to their surroundings while studying in Malaysia. For every result, they will have their situation, but also limitations. First is the quantity survey questionnaire we are using - quantity studies, second is the population and the targeted audience. The key terms of this journal are (a) psychological (b) culture shock and (c) social cultures. Through our discussion, it is good to see Malaysias educational sector improved and the students coming to Malaysia for study are increasing. But there are still have many things need to improve as it would be the factors foreign students come for study. It is good to let international students understand the problems they will face and to let them prepare better before coming to Malaysia.

2.1 Literature review

International moving adds even more pressure than a national or regional move. Anyone who has lived or studied or even traveled extensively in another country has tasted and lived through culture shock. Culture shock is a sudden and disturbing impression on the mind or the own concept of culture produced by some unwelcome occurrence or perception in a foreign culture lasting depression, a thrill, or an excited feeling of any kind. Most of the international students will have the feelings of distress and unease when being exposed to a foreign culture. This adjustment process usually starts with an initial euphoria about the foreignness of the host culture. Review from journal Culture Shock Causes, Consequences and Solutions: The International Experience, international students in culture shock model with four stages which are honeymoon, crisis, recovery and adjustment, it can relate to our first objective, which is to study how foreign/international students adapt to their surroundings while studying in Malaysia. According to the research journal Adjustment Problems among International Students in Malaysian Private Higher Education Institutions by Suseela Malaklolunthu and Poovaikarasi Sateyen Selan, the key adjustment problems that faced by international students were divided into four categories: general living adjustment, socio-cultural adjustment, personal psychological adjustment and academic adjustment. Most of the international students faced many challenges: academic stress, cultural differences and language challenge. The finding of this journal is their ranking of adjustment problem levels by area for all students is the academic adjustments comes first and then is the religious adjustments, personal adjustments, social adjustments, and financial adjustment, finally is the language adjustments. These problems could be manifested as social withdrawal, inability to sleep well, sadness and depression, academic problems, and loss of self- esteem. In Lijuan Zhai journal Studying International Students: Adjustment Issues and Social Support, he shows that researcher encountered great problems of international students in communicating with others in English, especially in academic settings (Sandhu & Asrabadi, 1991). So students often found their academic experiences to be extremely stressful (Wan et al., 1992). While for the psychological adjustment (emotional, referring to well-being, anxiety depression, fatigue)

refer to the Holloway (2008), it is also applied to understanding and solving problems in many different spheres of human activity and sociocultural (behavioural, referring to ability to fit in) domain that states that our cognitive developmental processes, learning processes, are merely products of our society and culture. Review from Adjustment in International Students in Malaysian Public University by Yusliza Mohd.Yusoff and Shankar Chelliah, different cultures have various systems, including: beleifs, values, manners, normative behaviors, and practices. Within these various different cultures around the world, differences in specific societies within the larger culture also exist. Adjust psychological understand from the perspective of stress the best deal with the framework, to predict as explained by the change of life variables and social support and personality in terms of social learning to adjust social and cultural. On the other hand is seen from, it can be predicted by variables related to cognition (Kennedy 1999 and Ward).. When you use the dimensions at the same time, factors and the acquisition of social skills provide understanding of the unpredictability and variability of psychological adjustment (Word 1990 and Sar). By Poyrazli, Senel; Grahame, Kamini Maraj Barriers to Adjustment: Needs of International Students within a Semi-Urban Campus Community This study inspects the needs of international students in a semi-urban university situated in a relatively racially and culturally homogeneous community. They examines at how students interact with and participate in their academic and social communities and how well these communities provide the necessary support to promote a healthy adjustment for the students. It proposes ways for higher education institutions to better serve international students in their efforts to integrate into their new community. Next, awareness by staff is also very important. Advanced awareness of staff in this area enables them to actively assist students to adjust. Malaysian private universities can capitalize on the rich cultural resources that international students bring with them. Moreover, researchers believed that student counseling was one of the most important services for international students (Dalili, 1982; Johnson, 1993). ). While others (Schneider & Spinler, 1986; Surdam & Collins, 1984) argued that the use of friends, parents, and relatives were consistently preferred sources for help. In our opinion, international students in Malaysia will also face the same problems. To overcome this problem, they need to know the differences between both countries before they came. If they meet any problems, they should seek for help to better adapt the new culture so it wont cause any physical and psychological problem. Malaysian education sector must pay

attention to the adjustment and transition issues of foreign students and improve a greater strategy on the course or quality of student service. Besides that, friends and university management should also provide counseling to international students to better reduce their cultural shock. Furthermore, we come out several ways to help international students go through the stages of culture shock. First, fight the urge to retreat and join a club, try out for a sports team, volunteer, attend a local church or take a language class. Mixing, meeting new people and forcing yourself to become part of the community can make you reduce the culture shock. Next, Get out to have a walk. Walk around your neighborhood. Be seen and smile. Visit the same coffee shop or bookstore or market. You'll soon be recognized. There's nothing that says you're at home, like a neighbor saying "good morning" in any language. Last but not least, go on tours. Be a tourist in your own town. Sign up for local excursions. Get to know your city, its history and culture.

2.2 Theoretical framework 2.2.1 Environmental Determinism (ED) Throughout the study of geography, there have been a number of different approaches to explaining the development of the world's societies and cultures. One that received much fame in geographic history but has declined in recent decades of academic study is environmental determinism. It is a sub-specialty within the field of anthropology that takes an active role in examining the relationships between humans and their environment across space and time and claim that environmental features directly determine features of human behavior (and hence of society), which means that is one of the cultural anthropology that is to capture environment widely for cultural problem. What this theory cover is to understand different cultures and interacting relationships that is created by human being for ecological environment. Ibn Khaldun, an Arab sociologist and scholar, was officially known as one of the first environmental determinists. He lived from 1332 to 1406, during which time he wrote a complete world history and explained that dark human skin was caused by the hot climate of Sub-Saharan Africa. Other early scholars also used environmental determinism to explain not only the culture of a society but the reasons behind the physical characteristics of a society's people. Al-Jahiz, a writer from East Africa, for instance cited environmental factors as the origin of different skin colors. He believed that the darker skin of many Africans and various birds, mammals, and insects was a direct result of the prevalence of black basalt rocks on the Arabian Peninsula. Despite its success in the early 1900s, environmental determinisms popularity began to decline in the 1920s as its claims were often found to be wrong. In addition, critics claimed it was racist and perpetuated imperialism. They said that environmental determinism led to premature generalizations about an areas culture and did not allow for results based on direct observation or other research. As a result, geographers developed the theory of environmental possibilism to explain cultural development. Regardless of its decline however, environmental determinism was an important component of geographic history as it initially represented an attempt by early geographers to explain the patterns they saw developing across the globe.

2.2.2 Multicultural Counseling and Therapy (MCT)

Multicultural counseling and therapy (MCT) proposed by D. W. Sue (2001) can be defined as both a helping role and process that uses modalities and define goals consistent with the life experiences and cultural values of clients, recognizes client identifies to include individual, group and universal dimensions, advocates the use of universal and culture-specific strategies and roles in the healing process, and balances the importance of individualism and collectivism in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of client and client system. Counseling is practices by many different kind of people in many different ways-a fact that seems to preclude establishing a single set of standard therapeutic procedures. First, investigators found the most common attributes to be counseling offers the client a chance to relearn. Second, they help generate the development of new, emotionally important experiences. It involves the experiencing of emotionally that clients may have avoided, along with the painful and helpless feelings fostered by these emotions. Third, there is a therapeutic relationship. Counselors may provide reassurance, selfdisclosures, reflection of the clients feeling.as a team, counselors and clients are better prepared to venture into frightening areas that clients would not have faced alone. Finally, clients in counseling have certain motivations and expectations. Most people enter counseling with both anxiety and hope. They are frightened by their emotional difficulties and by the prospect of treatment, but they expect or hope that counseling will be helpful. The goals and general characteristics of counseling as described seem admirable, and most people consider them so.

2.3 Conclusion As a conclusion, they are many challenges and problems when a student is overbroad to study. Furthermore, they faced the very first challenges is the accommodation and communication with local people. They need to find a place to stay and use the languages that both international students and local people can understand. After that, they need time to adapt academic life and social life in other country. They need to comprehend other races religion and get to know more friends in the campus. Besides that, international students still face other adjustment problems such as homesickness, disorientation, depressive reactions and feelings of isolation, alienation and powerlessness. We chose Environment Determinism theory and Multicultural Counseling and Therapy as the theoretical framework for this research. Environment Determinism theory is a theory that examines the relationship between people and environment across space and time and claims that people behavior is determined by environment. Multicultural Counseling and Therapy can be described as ethnocentric activity. This theory examines our own level of cultural identity development and awareness of cultural issues in the helping process.

3.1 Methodology 3.1.1 Research Subject This entire research is to investigate the factors affecting the adjustment of international students in Malaysia. The initial objective of our project was to know whether these factors enable international students to resolve how they adapt to their environment, what are the biggest challenges and how long they need to take adapt while studying in Malaysia. We interviewed 160 international students who are mostly INTI students which is quantitative survey. The participants were divided Asian, Middle East Asian, African and western students how different way to adapt among them. The majority of interviewers are Asian international students came from China, Indonesia, Pakistan and so on.

3.1.2 Data Analysis We did not choose the way to interview on online but in individual interviews with questionnaire consisted of 5 sections and given 5 multiple answers. What the instrument used for showing the charts is SPSS. First section is socio-cultural adjustment scale, which indicated how much difficulty you experience in Malaysia with 29 questions and 5 answers from no difficulty to extreme difficulty. Second section is about psychological adjustment scale which is regarding psychological well-being of international students in Malaysia by means of 5 questions and divided 5 answers among from strongly disagree to strongly agree. Section 3 is written social support scale which is as regards the support provides international students with challenges to enhance an understanding of the new culture with 12 questions and 5 answers same as section 2. Final section is estimated how much they have capabilities to cope with and adjust problems in Malaysia with 10 questions and 5 answers which is similar to Section 2 and 3. The last page is the instrument used those questionnaire designed to find relevant information which noted down roughly personal information including their ages, gender, races, nationalities and so on.

4.1 Results Finding 4.1.1 Country Country (Table 1) Cumulative Frequency Percent Valid Percent Valid Africa Asia Western Total 49 81 3 133 36.8 60.9 2.3 100.0 36.8 60.9 2.3 100.0 Percent 36.8 97.7 100.0

Table 1 shows the countries of respondents. From the data above, we can know that the highest percentage for respondents belonged to Asia countries, which consists of 60.9 percent (81). The next is followed by respondents came from Africa countries, which holds 36.8 percent (49). The least percentage for respondents from Western countries consists 2.3 percent (3).

4.1.2 Number of months/years had been residing in Malaysia

Number of months/years had been residing in Malaysia (Table 2) Cumulative Frequency Percent Valid Percent Valid <6 months 6-12 months 12-18 months >18 months Total 15 17 19 82 133 11.3 12.8 14.3 61.7 100.0 11.3 12.8 14.3 61.7 100.0 Percent 11.3 24.1 38.3 100.0

In table 2, shows the amount of months or years international students had been residing in Malaysia. Based on the data we collected, the highest percentage for respondents had been residing in Malaysia for more than 18 months which consists 61.7 percent (82), followed by 12 to 18 months which consists 14.3 percent (19) and 6 to 12 months which consists 12.8 percent (17). The least percentage for respondents had been residing in Malaysia less than 6 months. It only consists 11.3 percent (15).

4.1.3 Study Level of Respondents

Study Level (Table 3) Cumulative Frequency Percent Valid Percent Valid Pre-University Diploma Undergraduate Postgraduate Total 7 26 88 12 133 5.3 19.5 66.2 9.0 100.0 5.3 19.5 66.2 9.0 100.0 Percent 5.3 24.8 91.0 100.0

Table 3 is about the study level of international students. From the table above, we can know that there are more international students study undergraduate programs, as it has consists 66.2 percent (88) of respondents. Next is followed by respondents who are studying diploma which consists 19.5 percent (26) and respondents who are studying postgraduate which consists 9 percent (12). The least percentage for respondents study level is from preuniversity that consists 5.3 percent (7).

4.1.4 Study Level with difficulty in making friends Study Level * On a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most difficulty in making friends. (Table 4) On a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most difficulty in making friends. no slight moderate great extreme

difficulty difficulty difficulty difficulty difficulty Total Study Pre-University Count Level % within Study Level Diploma Count % within Study Level Undergraduate Count % within Study Level Postgraduate Count % within Study Level Total Count % within Study Level 49 36.8% 33 24.8% 35 26.3% 8 6.0% 8 133 4 33.3% 1 8.3% 6 50.0% 1 8.3% 0 12 33 37.5% 23 26.1% 23 26.1% 4 4.5% 5 88 11 42.3% 7 26.9% 4 15.4% 1 3.8% 3 26 1 14.3% 2 28.6% 2 28.6% 2 28.6% 0 7

0.0% 100.0%

11.5% 100.0%

5.7% 100.0%

0.0% 100.0%

6.0% 100.0%

In table 4, the percentages of the difficulty in making friends for respondents who are studying pre-university are quite average. As we can see from the table above, the respondents that felt slight difficulty, moderate difficulty and great difficulty have the same percentage, which consist 28.6 percent (2) each. Only 14.3 percent (1) of respondents felt no difficulty in making friends and no one felt extreme difficulty in making friends. For respondents who are studying diploma, more of them did not have difficulty in making friends, which consists 42.3 percent (11), followed by respondents who felt slight difficulty

which consists 26.9 percent (7), respondents who felt moderate difficulty which consists 15.4 percent (4) and respondents who felt extreme difficulty in making friends which consists 11.5 percent (3). The least percentage is the respondents who felt great difficulty in making friends which consists 3.8 percent (1). Besides, there is more respondents who are taking undergraduate programs felt that there is no difficulty in making friends which consists 37.5 percent (33), followed by both respondents felt slight difficulty and moderate difficulty which consists 26.1 percent (23) each and respondents felt extreme difficulty which consists 5.7 percent (5). The least percentage is the respondents who felt great difficulty in making friends which consists 4.5 percent (4). Furthermore, the highest percentage for respondents who are taking postgraduate programs is the respondents who felt moderate difficulty in making friends which consists 50 percent (6), followed by the respondents who did not felt difficulty which consists 33.3 percent (4) and both respondents who felt slight difficulty and great difficulty in making friends which consist 8.3 percent (1) each. There is no one respondents felt it is extreme difficulty in making friends. For the sum, most of our respondents felt that there is no difficulty in making friends which consists 36.8 percent (49), followed by moderate difficulty and slight difficulty which consist 26.3 percent (35) and 24.8 percent (33), and great difficulty and extreme difficulty get the lowest percentages which consist 6 percent (8) each.

4.1.5 Study Level with Difficulty in Communicating with People of a Different Ethnic Group
Study Level * On a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most difficulty in communicating with people of a different ethnic group. (Table 5) On a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most difficulty in communicating with people of a different ethnic group. no slight moderate great extreme

difficulty difficulty difficulty difficulty difficulty Total StudyLevel Pre-University Count % within StudyLevel Diploma Count % within StudyLevel Undergraduate Count % within StudyLevel Postgraduate Count % within StudyLevel Total Count % within StudyLevel 39 29.3% 38 28.6% 36 27.1% 12 9.0% 8 133 3 25.0% 2 16.7% 4 33.3% 3 25.0% 0 12 24 27.3% 28 31.8% 24 27.3% 6 6.8% 6 88 11 42.3% 7 26.9% 4 15.4% 2 7.7% 2 26 1 14.3% 1 14.3% 4 57.1% 1 14.3% 0 7

0.0% 100.0%

7.7% 100.0%

6.8% 100.0%

0.0% 100.0%

6.0% 100.0%

In table 5, the highest percentage for respondents who are pre-university students felt moderate difficulty in communicating with people of a different ethnic group which consists of 57.1 percent (4), followed by the respondents who did not felt difficulty, slight difficulty and great difficulty which consists 14.3 percent (1) each. There is none of them felt extreme difficulty. For respondents who are studying diploma, more of them did not have difficulty in

communicating with people of a different ethnic group which consists 42.3 percent (11), followed by respondents who felt slight difficulty which consists 26.9 percent (7) and respondents who felt moderate difficulty which consists 15.4 percent (4). Both respondents who felt great difficulty and extreme difficulty consist 7.7 percent (2) each. Besides, there is more respondents who are taking undergraduate programs felt that there is slight difficulty in communicating with people of a different ethnic group which consists 31.8 percent (28), followed by both respondents felt no difficulty and moderate difficulty which consists 27.3 percent (24) each and both respondents felt great difficulty and extreme difficulty which consists 6.8 percent (6). Furthermore, the highest percentage for respondents who are taking postgraduate programs is the respondents who felt moderate difficulty in communicating with people in different ethnic group which consists 33.3 percent (4), followed by both respondents who did not felt difficulty and great difficulty which consists 25 percent (3) and the respondents who felt slight difficulty which consist 16.7 percent (2). There is no one respondents felt it is extreme difficulty. For the sum, most of our respondents felt that there is no difficulty in communicating with people in different ethnic group which consists 29.3 percent (39), followed by slight difficulty which consists 28.6 percent (38), moderate difficulty which consists of 27.1 percent (36), great difficulty which consists 9 percent (12), extreme difficulty which consists 6 percent (8).

4.1.6 Number of Months/Years in Malaysia and Difficulty in Making Friends

Number of months/years had been residing in Malaysia * On a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most difficulty in making friends. (Table 6) On a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most difficulty in making friends. no slight moderate great extreme difficulty difficulty difficulty difficulty difficulty Total Number of months/years had been residing in Malaysia <6 Count months % within Number of months/years had been residing in Malaysia 6-12 Count months % within Number of months/years had been residing in Malaysia 12-18 Count months % within Number of months/years had been residing in Malaysia >18 Count months % within Number of months/years had been residing in Malaysia Total Count % within Number of months/years had been residing in Malaysia 9 60.0% 2 13.3% 2 13.3% 1 6.7% 1 15

6.7% 100.0%

8 47.1%

4 23.5%

5 29.4%

0 .0%

17

.0% 100.0%

9 47.4%

5 26.3%

5 26.3%

0 .0%

19

.0% 100.0%

23 28.0%

22 26.8%

23 28.0%

7 8.5%

82

8.5% 100.0%

49 36.8%

33 24.8%

35 26.3%

8 6.0%

133

6.0% 100.0%

In table 6, the highest percentages for respondents who had been residing here below 6 months felt no difficulty in making friends which consists of 60 percent (9), followed by both slight difficulty and moderate difficulty which consists of 13.3 percent (2) and the least percentage for both respondents who felt great difficulty and extreme difficulty which consist of 6.7 percent (1) each. For respondents who had been residing here between 6 to 12 months, more of them did not have difficulty in making friends which consists 47.1 percent (8), followed by respondents who felt moderate difficulty which consists 29.4 percent (4). There is none of one respondent felt great difficulty and extreme difficulty in making friends. Besides, there is more respondents who had been residing in Malaysia between 12 to 18 months felt that there is no difficulty in making friends which consists 47.4 percent (9) and followed by both respondents felt slight difficulty and moderate difficulty which consists 26.3 percent (5) each. There is none of one respondents felt great difficulty and extreme difficulty in making friends. Furthermore, the highest percentage for respondents who had been residing in Malaysia more than 18 months is both the respondents who felt no difficulty and moderate difficulty in making friends which consists 28 percent (23), followed by the respondents who felt slight difficulty which consists 26.8 percent (22). Both respondents who felt great difficulty and extreme difficulty have the least percentage which consist 8.5 percent (7) in making new friends. For the sum, most of our respondents felt that there is no difficulty in making friends which consists 36.8 percent (49), followed by moderate difficulty which consists 26.3 percent (35) and slight difficulty which consist 24.8 percent (33) and great difficulty and extreme difficulty get the lowest percentages which consist 6 percent (8) each.

4.1.7 Number of Months/years in Malaysia and Difficulty in Getting Used to the Local Food
Number of months/years had been residing in Malaysia * On a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most difficulty in getting used to the local food. (Table 7) On a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most difficulty in getting used to the local food. no slight moderate great extreme difficulty difficulty difficulty difficulty difficulty Total Number of months/years had been residing in Malaysia <6 Count months % within Number of months/years had been residing in Malaysia 6-12 Count months % within Number of months/years had been residing in Malaysia 12-18 Count months % within Number of months/years had been residing in Malaysia >18 Count months % within Number of months/years had been residing in Malaysia Total Count % within Number of months/years had been residing in Malaysia 5 33.3% 4 26.7% 4 26.7% 2 13.3% 0 15 .0% 100.0%

5 29.4%

5 29.4%

4 23.5%

0 .0%

17

17.6% 100.0%

3 15.8%

5 26.3%

8 42.1%

3 15.8%

19

.0% 100.0%

14 17.1%

11 13.4%

19 23.2%

23 28.0%

15

82

18.3% 100.0%

27 20.3%

25 18.8%

35 26.3%

28 21.1%

18

133

13.5% 100.0%

In table 7, the highest percentages for respondents who had been residing here below 6 months felt no difficulty in getting used to local food which consists 33.3 percent (5), followed by both slight difficulty and moderate difficulty which consists of 26.7 percent (4) and the respondents who felt great difficulty which consist of 13.3 percent (2). There is no one felt extreme difficulty in getting used to local food. For respondents who had been residing here between 6 to 12 months, both of the respondents felt no difficulty and slight difficulty in getting used with local food which consist 29.4 percent (5), followed by respondents who felt moderate difficulty which consists 23.5 percent (4) and the respondents who felt extreme difficulty which consist 17.6 percent (3). There is none of one respondent felt great difficulty in getting used with local food. Besides, there is more respondents who had been residing in Malaysia between 12 to 18 months felt that there is moderate difficulty in getting used with local food which consists of 42.1 percent (8), followed by the respondents who felt slight difficulty which consist 26.3 percent (5) and both respondents felt no difficulty and great difficulty which consists 15.8 percent (5) each. There is none of one respondents felt extreme difficulty in getting used in local food. Furthermore, the highest percentage for respondents who had been residing in Malaysia more than 18 months is the respondents who felt great difficulty in getting used in local food which consists of 28 percent (23), followed by the respondents who felt moderate difficulty which consists of 23.2 percent (19), the respondents who felt extreme difficulty which consists of 18.3 percent (15) and the respondents did not felt difficulty which 17.1 percent (14). The least percentage for respondents who felt slight difficulty is 13.4 percent (11). For the sum, most of our respondents felt that there is moderate difficulty in making friends which consists 26.3 percent (35), followed by great difficulty which consists 21.1 percent (28), no difficulty which consist 20.3 percent (27) and slight difficulty which consists 18.8 percent (25). The least percentage for respondents who felt extreme difficulty is 13.5 percent (18). Besides, there is more respondents who had been residing in Malaysia between 12 to 18 months felt that there is moderate difficulty in getting used with local food which consists of 42.1 percent (8), followed by the respondents who felt slight difficulty which consist 26.3 percent (5) and both respondents felt no difficulty and great difficulty which consists 15.8 percent (5) each. There is none of one respondents felt extreme difficulty in getting used in local food.

4.1.8 Difficulty in Communicating with People of a Different Ethnic group and Difficulty in Taking Local Perspective on the Culture
On a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most difficulty in communicating with people of a different ethnic group. * On a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most difficulty in taking local perspective on the culture. (Table 8) On a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most difficulty in taking local perspective on the culture. no slight moderate great extreme difficulty difficulty difficulty difficulty difficulty Total On a scale of 1 no Count to 5 with 5 difficulty % within On a being the most scale of 1 to 5 difficulty in with 5 being the communicating most difficulty with people of a in different ethnic communicating group. with people of a different ethnic group. slight Count difficulty % within On a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most difficulty in communicating with people of a different ethnic group. moderate Count difficulty % within On a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most difficulty in communicating with people of a different ethnic group. great Count 1 2 2 5 2 12 6 16.7% 9 25.0% 13 36.1% 7 19.4% 1 36 4 10.5% 15 39.5% 14 36.8% 3 7.9% 2 38 19 48.7% 12 30.8% 6 15.4% 2 5.1% 0 39

.0% 100.0%

5.3% 100.0%

2.8% 100.0%

difficulty % within On a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most difficulty in communicating with people of a different ethnic group. extreme Count difficulty % within On a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most difficulty in communicating with people of a different ethnic group. Total Count % within On a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most difficulty in communicating with people of a different ethnic group.

8.3%

16.7%

16.7%

41.7%

16.7% 100.0%

0 .0%

2 25.0%

3 37.5%

1 12.5%

25.0% 100.0%

30 22.6%

40 30.1%

38 28.6%

18 13.5%

133

5.3% 100.0%

In table 8, the highest percentages for respondents who did not feel difficulty in communicating with people of a different ethnic group did not feel difficulty in taking local perspective on the culture which consists of 48.7 percent (19), followed by slight difficulty in taking local perspective on the culture which consists 30.8 percent (12), moderate difficulty which consists 15.4 percent (6) and great difficulty 5.1 percent (2). There is no one felt extreme difficulty in taking local perspective on the culture. For respondents who felt slight difficulty in communicating with people of a different ethnic group, the highest percentages for respondents who felt slight difficulty in taking local perspective on the culture which consists of 39.5 percent (15), followed by respondents who felt moderate difficulty which consists 36.8 percent (14), the respondents who do not felt difficulty which consist 10.5

percent (4) and the respondents who felt great difficulty which consists 7.9 percent (3) in taking local perspective on the culture. The least percentage for respondents who felt slight difficulty in communicating with people of a different ethnic group, felt extreme difficulty in taking local perspective on the culture which consists of 5.3 percent (2). Besides, there is more respondents felt moderate difficulty in communicating with people of a different ethnic group felt that there is moderate difficulty in taking local perspective on the culture which consists of 36.1 percent (13), followed by the respondents who felt slight difficulty which consist 25 percent (9), the respondents who felt great difficulty which consist 19.4 percent (7) and the respondents who felt no difficulty which consists 16.7 percent (6) in taking local perspective on the culture The least percentage for respondents who felt moderate difficulty in communicating with people of a different ethnic group, felt extreme difficulty in taking local perspective on the culture which consists of 2.8 percent (1). In the other hand, the highest percentages for respondents who felt great difficulty in communicating with people of a different ethnic group did not feel difficulty in taking local perspective on the culture which consists of 41.7 percent (5), followed by three same percentages responds which are slight difficulty, moderate difficulty and extreme difficulty which consist 16.7 percent (2) each. The least percentage for respondents who felt great difficulty in communicating with people of a different ethnic group, did not feel difficulty in taking local perspective on the culture which consists of 8.3.8 percent (1). Furthermore, the highest percentages for respondents who felt extreme difficulty in communicating with people of a different ethnic group felt moderate difficulty in taking local perspective on the culture which consists of 37.5 percent (3), followed by both respondents who felt slight difficulty and extreme difficulty which consists 25 percent (2) and the respondents who felt great difficulty in taking local perspective on the culture. There is no one did not feel the difficulty in taking local perspective on the culture.

4.1.9 Gender and Agree in Dealing Efficiently with Unexpected Events

Gender * On a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most strongly agree in dealing efficiently with unexpected events. Crosstabulation (Table 9) On a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most strongly agree in dealing efficiently with unexpected events. 1.00 Gender Male Count % within Gender Female Count % within Gender Total Count % within Gender 6 4.5% 9 6.8% 47 35.3% 47 35.3% 24 18.0% 133 100.0% 1 2.3% 2 4.7% 20 46.5% 11 25.6% 9 20.9% 43 100.0% 5 5.6% 2.00 7 7.8% 3.00 27 30.0% 4.00 36 40.0% 5.00 15 16.7% Total 90 100.0%

In table 9, we can see that male is more agreeable in dealing efficiently with unexpected events as the percentages which mean agree are slightly high. Same as male, female is also more agreeable in dealing efficiently with unexpected events as the agreed percentages are higher than disagree.

4.1.10 Difficulty in Making Friends

On a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most difficulty in making friends. (Table 10)

Cumulative Frequency Valid no difficulty slight difficulty moderate difficulty great difficulty extreme difficulty Total 49 33 35 8 8 133 Percent 36.8 24.8 26.3 6.0 6.0 100.0 Valid Percent 36.8 24.8 26.3 6.0 6.0 100.0 Percent 36.8 61.7 88.0 94.0 100.0

Table 10 shows that the difficulty in making friend of international students in Malaysia. From the table above, we can know that the highest percentage is 36.8 percent which means that 36.8 percent of international students did not have difficulty in making friends when they are studying in Malaysia. The next is 26.3 percent of them felt that it is moderate difficulty in making friends and 24.8 percent of them felt that it is slight difficulty in making friends. Furthermore, there are 6 percent of them think it is great difficulty in making friends when they are studying in Malaysia. Another 6 percent felt that it is extreme difficulty in making friends in Malaysia.

4.1.11 Difficulty in Getting Used to the Local Food On a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most difficulty in getting used to the local food. (Table 11) Cumulative Frequency Valid no difficulty slight difficulty moderate difficulty great difficulty extreme difficulty Total 27 25 35 28 18 133 Percent 20.3 18.8 26.3 21.1 13.5 100.0 Valid Percent 20.3 18.8 26.3 21.1 13.5 100.0 Percent 20.3 39.1 65.4 86.5 100.0

The table above (Table 11) shows the difficulty in getting used in the local food for international students. Based on the data above we can see that, it is quite average with each result. The highest frequency among all is 35 peoples over 133 peoples which belong to moderate difficulty. It means that the local foods are still acceptable for the 26.3 percent students. The following results are great difficulty which has 28 over 133 peoples; no difficulty has 27 over 133 peoples; and slight difficulty has 25 over 133 peoples. These three results got the almost same frequency. Another 18 peoples have chosen extreme difficulty which means that only 18 of them felt extreme difficulty in getting used in the local food.

4.1.12 Difficulty in Dealing with Climate

On a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most difficulty in dealing with the climate. (Table 12) Cumulative Frequency Valid no difficulty slight difficulty moderate difficulty great difficulty extreme difficulty Total 25 47 37 15 9 133 Percent 18.8 35.3 27.8 11.3 6.8 100.0 Valid Percent 18.8 35.3 27.8 11.3 6.8 100.0 Percent 18.8 54.1 82.0 93.2 100.0

This table is about the difficulty international students faced in dealing with the climate. (Table 12) Among 133 peoples, there are 47 of them felt that its slight difficulty in dealing with the climate, which got the highest percentage and hold 35.3 percent. Another 27.8 percent felt its moderate difficulty in dealing with the climate. In other hand, there are 18.8 percent and 11.3 percent felt there is no difficulty and great difficulty. And there is fewer of them felt its extreme difficulty when dealing with the climate. It only holds 6.8 percent based on our data.

4.1.13 Difficulty in Worshipping in Usual Way

On a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most difficulty in worshipping in usual way. (Table 13)

Cumulative Frequency Valid no difficulty slight difficulty moderate difficulty great difficulty extreme difficulty Total 48 31 33 9 12 133 Percent 36.1 23.3 24.8 6.8 9.0 100.0 Valid Percent 36.1 23.3 24.8 6.8 9.0 100.0 Percent 36.1 59.4 84.2 91.0 100.0

The difficulty in worshipping in usual way is shown in Table 13. There are more students said that they did not face difficulty in worshipping in usual way. From the table we can see that there are 48 of them over 133 peoples said there is no difficulty. Besides, there are 31 and 33 of them has chosen slight difficulty and moderate difficulty in worshipping in their usual way. Another 12 of them felt extreme difficulty in worshipping in their usual way. Based on the data of the table above, there are only 9 of them chose great difficulty which means there is only few people felt it is great difficulty in worshipping in usual their way.

4.1.14 English Proficiency

On a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most, how is their English proficiency. (table 14)

Frequency Valid 1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00 Total 3 16 28 46 40 133

Percent 2.3 12.0 21.1 34.6 30.1 100.0

Valid Percent 2.3 12.0 21.1 34.6 30.1 100.0

Cumulative Percent 2.3 14.3 35.3 69.9 100.0

Table 14 shows respondents English proficiency. Only 3 over 133 peoples English are not so proficient. Based on the table above, respondents English language proficiency is quite proficient as it is more than 60 percent of them felt that their English are proficient.

5.1 Discussions In this research, we had been given the questionnaire to 133 of international students, which we categorized into three groups Africa, Asia and Western. Based on the Table 8, Table 7 and Table 6, it has answered the first research question and the first objective of this paper. Table 8 shows that 48.7% of international students feel no difficulty in taking local perspective on the culture and communicating with people of different ethnic groups. Table 7 shows that international students not really in getting used to the local food and it is not relate on the period they stay in Malaysia. From the Table 6, we can see that the international students who stay in Malaysia not longer than six month are 60% in no difficulty with making friends. But, the difficulty is getting more when they stay longer in Malaysia. Hence, with the time they spend in Malaysia longer, they started to feel the difficulty in making friends because they getting to know more about the local people and they will tend to focus on study than social life. In Table 4, it shows that people who are in higher study level which means people who stay in Malaysia longer are getting less interacting with people and less social life. For the challenges that faced by the international students, getting used to the local food will be the biggest problem. From Table 7, it has shown that 18 students are feeling extreme difficulty in getting used to local food. Correlate to the Table 11, majority of the students still feeling more difficulty in adapting Malaysia local food. For Table 13, they faced the second biggest problem is they cannot worshipping in usual way. Some of the minority religion students cannot find the place to do the worship. Table 12 shows that dealing with the Malaysias climate in the third major problem that international students facing. They find it is so hard to adapt in Malaysia wet weather. From Table 5 and Table 6, we also find that there is more difficulty to communicate with people of different ethnic group when students in higher study level. Correlate between Table 5 and Table 6, students think more difficulty in making friends when study in higher level too which means students get more mature and less interact with others in higher study level. Reflect to the third objective from Table 6, we can see that international students can easily making friends within 6 months. But it is getting more and more difficult after they stay here for some time.

For the theory that we apply in this paper, Environmental Determinism explain that international students try to understand and interact with people in different culture that is created for ecological environment. Multicultural Counseling and Therapy explain that students are helping each other with their own personal life experiences and cultural values.

5.2 Conclusion The present research made four main contributions to the international students adjustment literature. This study inspected international students socio-cultural adjustment, psychological adjustment, being aware of social support and self-efficacy scale which mainly influenced their adjustment. The relationship among these sections which our questionnaire is the support from friends and significant others is strongly connected to cultural empathy, distant efforts and cultural relatedness. Co-national friends are helpful in giving the sense of belonging and might provide social and emotional support while the adjustment processes. Our finding with the ways in Malaysian universities can help international students succeed towards an investigation of the research on the factors affecting the modification of foreign students in Malaysia. Moreover, the responders those who were interviewed with our questionnaires improved a better understanding of the types of troubles which they are facing. According to two theoretical frameworks which are Environmental Determinism and Multicultural Counseling and Therapy, there should be getting used to cultural and educational norms and help them to adapt to effective research values in order to adjust these factors. It also enable international to make a space, which allows for suggestion on difficulties surrounding their environment.

5.3 Scope/ limitations of the study

First of all, regarding the general mode of inquiry, the limitation of this research is our research use quantitative method, which means we will only use questionnaire to complete this research. Thus, future qualitative research seems necessary for further in-depth understanding of the adjustment problems of international students in their host environment. Besides, clearly limitation was the examination of samples comprised only Inti International Universitys foreign students and only they will take part in our questionnaires. In addition, the population of the research is small, thus, it might not represent the majority of international students. Consequently, future research should conduct this questionnaire in a larger scale, in order to further understand their adjustment problems. Furthermore, some of the international students might not understand what is the questionnaire asking and they just simply circle the answer. Therefore, we maybe will collect a wrong data. So future research should explain the questionnaire properly to better get an accurate data.

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