Long FaceTime conversations, social media outlets, a month long trip back to their home country during December and summer vacation are some of the ways that international students at Nicholls State University stay connected with their friends and families in their home countries during their college experience.

Every year, international students decide to move away from their home countries to attend Nicholls to carry out their collegiate career. Majority of the international students come to Nicholls on scholarship to play sports not popular in their countries. The men’s and woman’s tennis teams, volleyball, men’s and woman’s basketball, golf, soccer and track and field programs all contribute to the population of student athletes from around the world.

Senior women’s basketball player, Jovana Mandic, public relations major from Prijedor, Bosnia and Herzegovina, came to America because there are no collegiate basketball programs in her home country. While in America, Mandic receives a lot of financial and emotional support from her family. Her parents have never been to the U.S. to catch a game, but they are still her biggest fans.

“It’s hard to be away from home, but when I have school and sports every day there’s just not enough time to think about anything else or being homesick, which is helpful because it makes being here easier,” Mandic said. “Technology and social media are also great because I doubt I’d be able to go through all this having to write letters home and not being able to Skype my family.”

In her country, schools and sports are separate, so if you want to play a sport you have to do it on your time. Mandic claims that teachers do not take into consideration practice or game schedules, so it is nearly impossible to do both.
“School is always a priority. So many people just quit sports early because the schools at home are way harder and doing both is almost impossible,” Mandic said. “Here I have opportunity to do both, which is pretty cool.”

Many international students, such as Mandic, did not know how to speak English well prior to coming to the States, but for those who did, it made the transition a lot easier.

Sophomore woman’s tennis player, Milou Pietersz, public relation major from Arnhern, The Netherlands, used to attend international schools back home before moving to Spain for two years. When it came to moving away from home, Pietersz did not find much difficulty because she already spoke English and was used to making new friends every where she went. However, last year Pietersz had to undergo wrist surgery without having her parents by her side to help her through everything.

“It can be hard sometimes, but you become very independent,” Pietersz said. “My team is definitely the most important thing to me here, since we spend so much time together.”

Marcus Fox, marketing and business administration major and former Nicholls golf player from London, England, has had the opportunity to experience both sides of college life through being an athlete and now a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. Fox claims that SAE has helped him meet very influential people, network and broaden his horizons.

While he is away from home, his family has to financially support him because of the limitations of his visa. Fox claims that he is now use to being away from his family for long periods of time but keeps in frequent contact with them through FaceTime.

“My family gives me inspiration to try and perform at my optimum level, both on the course and in the classroom,” Fox said. “Luckily my family can provide more than enough for me to enjoy college life.”