Straddling Two Worlds: How Linguistic Backgrounds and Sociocultural Norms Influence the Experiences of Saudi Female Expats in Australia

Abstract

This study constructs a collective story of Saudi female expats (SFEs) as they navigate the transition from their conservative society in Saudi Arabia to a new one in Australia. It examines the impact of the SFE’s Arabic background and their English learning experiences in Australia on their lives and explores SFEs perceptions of their self-representation in the social and educational milieu in Australia. Additionally, it sheds light on the intricate relationships between language, culture, gender and self-representation. The study employs a demographic questionnaire and semi-structured interviews with twenty-two SFEs in Australia. The study adopts lenses from social identity theory (Erikson 1968; Tajfel & Turner 1979, 1986), Intragroup marginalisation (Castillo et al. 2007), Social learning theory (Bandura 1977; Ryle 2011) and Oberg's cultural shock theory (1960) to guide the analysis of the study data. The findings of this study reveal that SFEs, generally, have a positive attitude towards learning and using the English language. However, SFEs’ low self-confidence in their English language proficiency negatively impacted their cross-cultural interactions in Australia. The study attributes SFEs' low self-confidence to five factors: limited opportunities to practice English, a preference for socialising with Arabic speakers, the COVID-19 pandemic, Saudi Arabia's English education policies and limited interest in English improvement. The study also explores how SFEs represent themselves differently in Australia. Their reflections in the research interviews revealed that they define their ‘in’- and ‘out’-groups differently depending on the context in relation to their interlocutor’s ethnicity, gender, language and faith. SFEs indicated that when interacting with Saudi male compatriots, they tend to be formal and direct in line with the norms of their Saudi culture and upbringing marked by gender segregation. However, they are friendlier and more open with non-Saudi male interlocutors due to the more relaxed gender norms in Australia. One of the key findings is that SFEs’ interactions with non-Saudis are influenced by their sense of obligation to represent their faith and nationality in the best light. The study also shows that the SFE’s insufficient knowledge of Australian culture and their low confidence in their English skills, tends to make their interactions with native-English speakers to be direct and to the point. SFEs are aware that they can appear terse for this reason. The lack of opportunities to interact with the host/Australian community and learn about Australian culture was negatively impacted by the social isolation policies imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study contributes to the limited literature on the experiences of SFEs as they navigate cross-cultural contexts and self-representation in Australia. This study offers valuable insights into the real-world challenges experienced by SFEs in adjusting to a more liberal society while maintaining their cultural identity. It sheds light on their perceptions of self-representations and attitude towards learning and using English and straddling cultures in Australia. Practical implications for improving cross-cultural interaction and strategies for enhancing English language education programs to better accommodate the growing SFE community in Australia are discussed in the conclusion.