Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Japanese Students’ Reflections on Their Co-National Peers During Long-Term Study Abroad

This qualitative study examines the complex meanings Japanese students ascribe to their co-national peers and their responses to these peer dynamics during long-term study abroad (SA). Thematic analysis of reflective accounts from six undergraduate students yielded five key themes: (1) support; (2) connection and community; (3) constraint; (4) unanchoring; and (5) internal dynamics, revealing that while co-national peers can provide crucial support, comfort, and familiarity, they can also act as obstacles to fuller engagement with the host culture. Students were found to navigate these dynamics through a process of anchoring, unanchoring, and re-anchoring, while developing strategies to achieve a balance between comfort and growth. The conceptual model of peer-anchoring that emerged from the data reveals a paradoxical tension between dependence and autonomy in cross-cultural adaptation, highlighting the importance of pre-departure guidance to address the immersion-comfort dilemma.