So says Susan Salzbrenner, the founder of Fit Across Cultures, who has lived and worked in five countries on four different continents.
Have you ever contemplated an international move to develop your football skills further? Getting paid to play the sport you love while enjoying life in a different country?
More and more foreign football clubs show their interest in foreign female talent. Players are imported for their key skills and physical abilities, and receive the chance to prove themselves in a new country and competitive leagues. That certainly comes with challenges. The two most commonly mentioned challenges abroad are the different coaching style (47%) and communication with the team (38%). Furthermore, feeling socially isolated, homesick or not having enough time to stay in touch are issues that need to be considered before making the move (according to a study conducted by Fit across Cultures, 2013).
But when you ask professional athletes if they would recommend the move abroad, 99% of them wholeheartedly agree.
Jenista Clark, a U.S. American football player currently working at SC Freiburg in the German Bundesliga, said:
“I’ve learned a lot about soccer, but I’ve also learned a lot about myself. Being abroad opens your eyes to a lot of things. Soccer-wise, I’ve grown a lot as a player since I’ve been here too, because the style of play is a lot different.”
The benefits clearly range far beyond the traditional expectations of a few travel anecdotes. Once the challenges of an international transition are overcome, you will take away so much more than a few passport stamps and pictures.
- You’ll be familiar with the unfamiliar. Stepping out of your comfort zone will put you in a spot where growth and learning happens.
- The necessity to survive and thrive abroad will make you more adaptable and flexible. These characteristics are game changers when moving on in your career.
- Working and communicating in a foreign environment will allow you to act more interculturally competent. A sought-after competence in globalized times.
- You’ll not only grow your facebook, instagram and twitter followers, but also expand your professional network which can become vital in landing new jobs or deciding future career moves.
- The independence, flexibility and unfamiliarity will send you on a self-discovery trip like no other. If you don’t learn something new about yourself while being abroad, you weren’t really abroad.
Or as Janelle Cordia, currently in Denmark playing for Fortuna Hjoerring, says: “Find a good balance between staying true to who you are, and letting the places where you’re playing have an effect on you. Don’t be too afraid to try new things so that you’ll miss out on an experience that you could be having.”
The author Susan Salzbrenner has made her fair share of experiences living and working in five countries on four different continents. She is the founder of Fit across Cultures, an intercultural consulting company that specializes in supporting professional athletes and coaches during their transition abroad. Connect with her @fitaxcultures or check out her website www.fitacrosscultures.com
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