Outlining Placid Involvements: Understanding the Lived Experiences of Philippine School Doha Alumni Studying Abroad

Abstract

Background: As Philippine School Doha alumni move on and open another chapter in life, they face challenges and new experiences. They may indulge themselves in a new type of environment of rebuilding one's identity abroad. Method: The qualitative paper follows the phenomenological research design to understand the lived experiences and identity development of PSD alumni studying abroad. The necessary data was gathered from a semi-structured interview which was derived from the central question of the study “How do PSD graduates manage their education embracing an international setup?” Four themes were derived and classified that were necessary to make the simulacrum. Findings: It was discovered that internal and external aspects and changes affect one’s ability to adapt to the international setting. Specifically, homesickness, culture, accent, and language barriers are some factors that affect the process of adaptation. The participants emphasized that the workload they experience in the chosen country is more practical and directed on their selected course. Hence, students mostly initiate interaction between both parties. Conclusion: These PSD alumni pursued tertiary education abroad to explore and discover opportunities. Obstacles were encountered due to their unfamiliarity with their reality of venturing into a new chapter of life as a student. Overall, their experience has affected their lifestyle, mental and emotional health, learning outcomes, and relations. Recommendation: This paper suggests tackling a larger population of participants from different fields of college courses to establish the accuracy of the data gathered. They also recommend further investigation regarding the other aspects that affect one's process of acculturating; and lifestyles practiced abroad, such as the cost of living, economic status, and peers. Keywords: Acculturation, Student Resilience, Socio-Cultural Barriers, Cultural Sensitivity, Student Migration, Overseas Education