Serumpun Tak Selalu Sepaham in cross cultural communication among Indonesian and Malaysian students

The goal of the current study is to find out how international students at Indonesian and Malaysian universities adapt to different cultural contexts and address the challenges involved. Eleven international undergraduate students from Indonesian and Malaysian universities participated in the study. A semi-structured interview was used to gather the data. Five aspects of adaptation namely, linguistic challenges, cultural adjustment in social settings, communication styles and misunderstandings, and adaptation strategies, last university support were included in the English-language interview. The results indicated that students who actively pursued intercultural learning opportunities through language practice, involvement in foreign student events, and interaction with varied peer groups were more successful in breaking down cultural barriers The results also showed the difficulties, obstacles, and adaption techniques the participants to overcome communication problem. Students pointed out that studying Bahasa Indonesia was both necessary for academic and social integration and a significant challenge because of the linguistic frameworks of Malaysian and Indonesian. These findings underscore the practical value of creating inclusive and supportive environments for international students, particularly within culturally diverse contexts such as Southeast Asia. Through reflective engagement with their own cultural backgrounds and the development of intercultural competence, students’ experiences of navigating between two cultural worlds emerged as a significant source of personal meaning and growth.