A Short-Term Studying Abroad. A Qualitative Insight to the Mexican Experience

ABSTRACT

In this paper, the intercultural experience of two Mexican students who made a credit mobility during a scholar semester at a foreign university was analyzed. The analysis was based on semi-structured interviews and reflective reports. A qualitative phenomenological approach was used to analyze the intercultural experience. The experience of the participants was followed in three moments: before traveling, during their stay and on their return to their home university. The results indicated that previous intercultural experience helps to lessen the symptoms of acculturative stress, but the personal attitude influenced the way the students faced their life abroad.

KEYWORDS:

• International students
• intercultural experience
• psychological acculturation
• Latinos studying abroad
• short-term mobility

Acknowledgments

The first author acknowledges the scholarship from CONACYT for her PhD studies.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología.