Research On The Cross-cultural Adaptation Of The 16th Batch Of Chinese Teacher Volunteers In Thailand

With the improvement of comprehensive national strength and international influence,the number of people who learn Chinese all over the world is increasing day by day.In order to alleviate the shortage of international Chinese teachers,Hanban launched the “Chinese Teacher Volunteers ” program and “Volunteer Center” management platform,approved by the Ministry of Education in 2004.As a result,more and more Chinese teachers have gone overseas.People from different cultural environments interweave in the same place,this causes cultural differences due to different cultural traditions,identities and habits.Along with,the key issues concerning the socio-cultural and psychological conditions of foreigners have attracted extensive attention from the academic community.As a new cultural group,Chinese Teacher Volunteers are different from tourists,immigrant or refugees.Cross-cultural Psychology classifies them as occupants,that is,short-term expatriates who return to their own country after a short time living in abroad.As a volunteer,the author was engaged in Chinese language teaching at Yangtaladwittayakarn School from June 2017 to March 2018 in Kalasin Province,Thailand.During the time,the author has contacted many volunteers from different education committees and regions.What's more,the author have had a close acknowledge of their cross-cultural adaptation.The research object is 130 of the 16 th batch of Chinese Teacher Volunteers in Thailand,the research content is about the cross-cultural adaptation problems which is in the absence of overseas teaching experience and across-cultural adaptation experience.In order to describe their basic information,life adaptation,work adaptation,interpersonal relation adaptation and psychological adaptation,the research choose methods such as literature research,data analysis,questionnaire and case analysis.The study indicates that volunteers have good adaptability in life,work and interpersonal relation,but about 23.1% of volunteers have psychological depression.Factors that affect their cross-cultural adaptation have internal and external.Internal factors include demographic factors(gender,age,academic qualifications,major,area),overseas experience,expectations,language level,knowledge reservation,cross-cultural training,interaction with the host country,social activities participation;external factors include time,social support(friends and family,Thai colleagues,volunteer management teacher),social and cultural environment(living environment,working environment,social public service).In order to improve the level of cross-cultural adaptation of Chinese teacher volunteers in Thailand,this study put forward practical suggestions from volunteer's aspect.what's more,the suggestions include aspect of sending units,teaching schools,volunteer service management.Thus help follow-up Chinese teacher volunteers adapt to Thailand's cultural environment as soon as possible,finish Chinese teaching and cultural communication work successfully.