EXPLORING TEACHING EXPERIENCES OF INDONESIAN NON-NATIVE ENGLISH TEACHER (NNEST) ABROAD

ABSTRACT Royanda,(2025): Exploring Teaching Experiences of Indonesian Non-Native English Teacher (NNEST) Abroad This phenomenological study explores the lived experiences of Indonesian non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs) in Southern Thailand, focusing on the challenges they encounter, the strategies they employ, their pedagogical contributions, and the meanings they construct from teaching abroad. Using semi-structured interviews with two participants study employed Moustakas‘s (1994) phenomenological method and Braun and Clarke‘s (2006) thematic analysis to capture the essence of participants‘ professional and personal experiences. Findings reveal that the teachers faced multidimensional challenges, including language barriers, cultural adjustment, and student engagement issues. They responded through translanguaging practices, interactive and contextual learning, and trust-based motivation. Beyond coping, participants contributed meaningfully by designing localized curriculum materials, promoting cultural collaboration, and demonstrating cost-effective yet competent teaching. The study concludes that Indonesian NNESTs abroad are not only adaptive and innovative educators but also active agents of cultural exchange and professional transformation. These findings underscore the need for teacher-education programs to integrate reflective practice, intercultural training, and identity development to better prepare NNESTs for global teaching contexts. Keywords: Indonesian NNESTs, phenomenology, English teaching abroad, intercultural adaptation, identity construction, meaning-making