Anxiety and Uncertainty Management in Intercultural Communication Experienced by Indonesian Students during Short-term Study Abroad

Abstract

This study aims to determine how Indonesian students manage their anxiety and uncertainty in intercultural communication contexts during their period of study abroad. This research is a qualitative descriptive study. The analysis is carried out based on the theory of Anxiety & Uncertainty Management (AUM) using interviews carried out online through WhatsApp Call as the data collection technique. The author uses seven axioms to analyze Anxiety & Uncertainty Management of Indonesian students overseas. Informants are returnees from South Korea, India, and China who have lived there for five to eight weeks. Of the 13 informants interviewed, the results of the study show that in general, Indonesian students can adapt well to their new environment. They have passed the anxiety phase in the role of intercultural communication. They are quite confident to establish relations with foreigners abroad both with foreign students and local residents.