Unpacking Motivations and Linguistic-Intercultural Development in the U.S. Summer Work and Travel Program: Voices of Non-Native English-Speaking International Students

Abstract

International student mobility (ISM) has increasingly been recognized as a means of promoting linguistic development, intercultural learning, and personal growth. However, research on short-term, work based exchange programs remains limited, particularly regarding students from non-native English-speaking countries. Therefore, this qualitative study explores the experiences of eight international students from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic who participated in the U.S. Summer Work and Travel (SWT) program in 2025. Guided by Byram’s (2008) theory of intercultural citizenship, with supporting insights from self-determination theory (SDT) by Ryan and Deci (2000), the study examines participants’ motivations for joining the program, their linguistic and sociocultural experiences, and the coping strategies they used to manage challenges during their stay. A qualitative phenomenographic design was employed. Data were collected online through narrative writing and individual semi-structured interviews with eight international students who lived and worked in Florida for three to four months. The findings revealed that participants were motivated to join SWT by cultural curiosity, the desire to improve their English, personal growth, financial considerations, and social influence. Their linguistic and intercultural development took place mainly through everyday participation in workplaces, shared accommodation, and the public life rather than through formal instruction. Although participants encountered challenges related to accent diversity, informal language, workplace communication, transport, and cultural adjustment, they reported gains in communicative confidence, intercultural awareness, independence, and self-understanding. These outcomes were supported by strategies such as seeking clarification, observing others, relying on peer support, and managing work and time demands. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the U.S. SWT program as a complex and demanding form of short-term mobility through which linguistic, intercultural, and personal development unfold together in everyday life, highlighting the need for pedagogical approaches that better prepare students for real-world communication, intercultural engagement, and adaptive learning beyond the classroom.