When EFL Students Study English Abroad in a Non-English Speaking Country: A Study of Thai Students in Learning English in Indonesia

Abstract

Study Abroad (SA) has been discussed vastly in myriad of studies in the context of English as a Foreign Language. However, the discussions have been mostly around the context of countries where English is spoken as the first language while, SA is also prominently held in countries where English is a foreign language. The current study aims to investigate a particular program of SA in which students learn English in a non-English speaking country and are enrolled in an English Study Program. The study employs a case study. The participants are four Thai students enrolled in English Department of Southern Private University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The interview was used as the method to gather the data. The findings revealed that Thai students find studying English in Indonesia as a non-English speaking country challenging. The barriers concern language of instruction, custom, and social interaction. The findings of the study implies that SA students should be equipped with the language used in the target country with adequate training and preparation.