1 Introduction

Introduced the concept of "gap year" and its appeal to young people, pointing out the phenomenon of part-time work for working holidaymakers during their travels. The research background points out that the impact of working holidaymakers on the economy, immigration, labor market, and personal development has received attention, but there is relatively little research on cultural adaptation. This study adopts the cultural adaptation U-curve model and uses questionnaire and interview methods to investigate the cultural adaptation of Australian working holidaymakers during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, aiming to provide reference for related research.

2 Literature Review

The literature review section first explores the concept of cultural adaptation, from Powell's (1880) definition to Redfield et al.'s (1936) detailed exposition, and then to Oberg's (1960) U-curve model, demonstrating the historical development of cultural adaptation research. Subsequently, the research of Berry et al. (1986) and Ward et al. (2001) further enriched the theoretical framework of cultural adaptation, while Winkelman (1994) and Berry (2017) deepened their understanding of cultural adaptation from the perspectives of cognitive orientation and behavioral adjustment, psychological processes, and social processes, respectively. Although cultural adaptation research has a long history, with the development of globalization and tourism industry, working holiday tourism, as an emerging form of cross-cultural contact, still needs further research on its cultural adaptation.

3 Research Design

This paper introduces the design of a study on cultural adaptation of Australian working holidaymakers, using a mixed research method that includes quantitative online questionnaires and qualitative semi-structured online video interviews. The questionnaire content is revised based on the Australian government report and distributed through trial testing and expert consultation. Affected by COVID-19, researchers collected data through convenience sampling, using English, and ultimately obtained 30 valid questionnaires and interviews with 7 participants. The research data has been authorized, with participant numbers ranging from P1 to P30. Table 1 shows the background information of the participants.

4 Research Results

We conducted an in-depth analysis of the cultural adaptation of Australian working holidaymakers through two methods: questionnaire surveys and semi-structured interviews. A total of 30 valid questionnaires were collected from the survey, with participants mainly from Europe and Asia, mostly under the age of 30, and most having obtained undergraduate degrees. The duration of working vacation varies from 6 months to 36 months, with most having completed their first year of working vacation. The work that participants engage in is mostly non-technical, such as farm helpers, restaurant servers, etc. In terms of emotional attitudes, most participants hold a positive attitude towards working holiday life, but there are also a few who feel negative emotions. In terms of perception of working holidays in Australia, participants generally have positive feedback, such as experiences with wildlife and natural landscapes.

5 Discussion and Conclusion

In depth exploration of the cultural adaptation motivations and processes of Australian working holidaymakers (WHMs) reveals their complexity and instability. WHMs may stay in Australia for various reasons, including interests, funding supplementation, or unexpected events, and their immigration tendencies are variable, known as' temporary immigrants'. Research has found that WHMs may experience increased confidence or disappointment during the process of cultural adaptation, with some ultimately choosing to immigrate, while others may return to their home country or switch to other countries. Cultural adaptation is not a linear process, but is full of dynamic changes. Most WHMs are in the recovery period, and some have already entered the adaptation period. There is inconsistency between the cognition and self-evaluation of cultural adaptation, which may stem from a vague understanding of the concept of cultural adaptation. The study also suggests that cultural adaptation strategies such as socio-cultural adaptation and psychological adaptation are crucial for WHMs, but the complexity of the cultural adaptation process requires further exploration. In addition, the study emphasizes that research on cultural adaptation of WHMs should consider their particularities, such as employment opportunities, job nature, etc., and suggests that future research should adopt a broader sampling method, focus on the balance of sample variables, and the cultural adaptation strategies and effectiveness of different groups.