The challenge of balancing elite sports and academics is hard enough, but with language barriers, cultural confusion, and fast-paced professors thrown in, it becomes a whole new game. For international student-athletes, adapting to life in the United States is riddled with unexpected hurdles, both on and off the field.
On the Harvard field hockey team, the term 'ESL' has morphed to become the catch-all excuse for communication mishaps. Whether it’s a teammate blanking on the English word for something mid-sentence, or just nodding along in silent confusion, hoping for the best—these ‘ESL’ moments define countless interactions each season.
Lara Beekhuis, a sophomore from the Netherlands, first faced this language barrier when she asked her teammate if she had a blue eye. Her teammate replied, “They are actually quite brown.” Confused and curious about whether there had been some sudden change, Beekhuis was uncertain if her teammate had only one eye and its color had somehow morphed. The situation took some time to clear up: Beekhuis simply referred to her teammate’s bruised eye, or ‘black eye’—a direct translation from Dutch.
Such ESL moments are not confined only to those who originate from English-as-a-second-language countries. Milly Cooper, another Harvard athlete hailing from Australia, noted how she had to adjust to different expressions, even after speaking English her entire life. During her early days on campus, she used the term ‘runners’ instead of the American ‘sneakers’, and soon discovered the American usage of ‘thongs’ meant something entirely different than what she was familiar with.
This experience of grappling with English extends to the academic sphere as well. Andreas Savva, a sophomore soccer player from Cyprus, confessed, “I thought [my English] was much more impressive back home.” His English was certainly commendable, yet it proved to be another layer of uncertainty. Rapid conversations filled with American slang often lead to native speakers feeling the same pressures of comprehension.
Transitioning to life on American soil goes beyond simple misunderstandings; it encompasses adapting to new cultural practices. For student-athletes, hydration is key. Saava highlighted how discovering free water options was quite the pleasant surprise compared to Cyprus, though he humorously addressed the unexpected portion sizes—wondering if the U.S. had also discovered the method to free lunches. Dining schedules were another adjustment: “Back home, dinner is civilized at 8 or 9 p.m., yet here I’m still hungry around midnight since I’ve eaten at 6. I feel forced to discover midnight snacks all too often!”
Language confusion aside, the academic transition presents one of the largest hurdles for international student-athletes. Drafting essays is no small feat, especially when it feels like translating thoughts on-the-fly to keep pace with discussions. The fear of making mistakes often leads to students hesitating to speak up during seminars. Savva openly admitted, “There have been countless instances where I just smile and nod along, hoping to catch on to the dialogue without interjecting.”
These challenges beg the question: knowing what they do now, would they go through it all again? Given the stress of moving to another country, decoding English, maintaining a Division I training schedule, and those late-night burrito runs their answer is overwhelmingly positive. Beekhuis, Cooper, and Savva expressed their belief the experiences, nonetheless challenging, were well worth each struggle.
Beekhuis conveyed advice for incoming international student-athletes: “Just try to keep learning and growing. No one is judging you. Take risks and laugh off your mistakes.” Their experiences reveal the essence of true success—a process where figuring things out becomes the destination rather than having all the answers at the onset.
For international athletes, the path may not always be smooth, but often, it’s this discomfort which retains lessons of adaptability, problem-solving skills, and mental toughness—characteristics many face much later on. What emerges from this undertaking reflects the power of pushing beyond one’s comfort zone, showing all students there’s much to learn from each misstep. Growth is often not linear; it’s about embracing uncertainty, finding humor amid failures, and staying open to learning continuously, even when things feel overwhelmingly challenging.
Laetitia Cartellieri, another ESL student, resonates with this sentiment, fully embracing the growth inherent to the struggle.