{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,10]],"date-time":"2026-10-10T19:31:07Z","timestamp":1791660667581,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":55,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,17]],"date-time":"2025-07-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1752710400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Behavioral Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>With the rise in short-term intercultural mobility programs, enhancing students\u2019 adaptive capacity through structured experiential learning has become a key concern. Using constructivist grounded theory, this study draws on extending the situated learning and embodied cognition theories as analytical frameworks to explore international students\u2019 cross-cultural adaptation within the context of study tours. It develops a three-phase framework (pre-departure, on-site immersion, and post-tour reflection) to trace their transition from cultural distance to adaptation. The findings reveal that the process through which international students shift from cross-cultural distance to multidimensional adaptation can be further accelerated by environmental settings, situational behaviors, and short-term emotional responses within study tour contexts. Moreover, culture-led and nature-led environments evoke distinct patterns of participation and emotional responses, facilitating varying degrees and dimensions of adaptation across psychological, social, and cultural domains. The study extends situated and embodied learning perspectives by conceptualizing study tours as dynamic, context-sensitive learning sites. By considering adaptation processes context-dependent, this study deepens the understanding of how learning, emotion, and environment interact to shape intercultural development and offers practical insights for designing responsive, stage-sensitive study tour programs.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/bs15070973","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,17]],"date-time":"2025-07-17T14:13:43Z","timestamp":1752761623000},"page":"973","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":7,"title":["Adaptive Journeys: Accelerating Cross-Cultural Adaptation Through Study Tours"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0001-5640-400X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ziye","family":"Huang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Tourism, Huaqiao University, Quanzhou 362021, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Anmin","family":"Huang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Tourism, Huaqiao University, Quanzhou 362021, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9220-2459","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ziyan","family":"Yin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Tourism, Huaqiao University, Quanzhou 362021, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"86","article-title":"Examples of current issues in the multicultural classroom","volume":"6","author":"Alsubaie","year":"2015","journal-title":"Journal of Education and Practice"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"131","DOI":"10.1177\/1475240906065589","article-title":"International students in English-speaking universities: Adjustment factors","volume":"5","author":"Andrade","year":"2006","journal-title":"Journal of Research in International Education"},{"key":"ref_3","first-page":"62","article-title":"Constructing and expanding a framework: Opportunities for developing acculturation research","volume":"46","author":"Berry","year":"1997","journal-title":"Applied Psychology"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"697","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijintrel.2005.07.013","article-title":"Acculturation: Living successfully in two cultures","volume":"29","author":"Berry","year":"2005","journal-title":"International Journal of Intercultural Relations"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1409","DOI":"10.1080\/09669582.2020.1742725","article-title":"Nature tourism and mental health: Parks, happiness, and causation","volume":"28","author":"Buckley","year":"2020","journal-title":"Journal of Sustainable Tourism"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"45","DOI":"10.1007\/s12564-021-09700-1","article-title":"A systematic review of predictors of international students\u2019 cross-cultural adjustment in China: Current knowledge and agenda for future research","volume":"23","author":"Cao","year":"2022","journal-title":"Asia Pacific Education Review"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1060","DOI":"10.1080\/10911359.2020.1792386","article-title":"Overseas students in Thailand: A qualitative study of cross-cultural adjustment of French exchange students in a Thai university context","volume":"30","author":"Chaiyasat","year":"2020","journal-title":"Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"129","DOI":"10.56040\/amck1521","article-title":"Critical cultural awareness and identity development: Insights from a short-term Thai Language immersion","volume":"15","author":"Chan","year":"2018","journal-title":"Electronic Journal of Foreign Language Teaching"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"657","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1533-8525.1995.tb00459.x","article-title":"The body, identity, and self: Adapting to impairment","volume":"36","author":"Charmaz","year":"1995","journal-title":"The Sociological Quarterly"},{"key":"ref_10","unstructured":"Charmaz, K. 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