It was an experience that changed my life in many different ways

Résumé of a former student-athlete in the United States of America The thought of studying in the United States on an athletic scholarship was my idea of heaven. I was in Spain doing a business studies degree when I started to research the idea. When I realized this was a possibility I didn’t think twice and seized the opportunity with both hands. I’d always loved the idea of living abroad and being able to play sports, carry on with my degree and perfect a language as important as English at the same time was ideal. Things were a little difficult at first. I arrived at the campus, not knowing anyone and truth be told, my English still left a little to be desired. I didn’t understand much of what was being said but I found my language skills improved quite quickly because I wanted to make friends and get to know my team. Upon arrival we had the soccer preseason with two or three sessions per day where you’re forced to talk to everyone and get to know lots of different people in a short space of time. Our team atmosphere was brilliant because we were all in a similar boat. We built strong bonds and all became a bit like a family. The soccer season is compressed into four months, from August to December. So you end up playing several games a week, also doing tours in other states against other university teams. After December some tournaments are played on an indoor surface and the pace and frequency of training changes as you prepare for the next season. I was so impressed by the amount of support and funding that’s put into United States college athletics. The sports facilities were fantastic and the public attendance at the games was incredible. The university campus was like living in a little village. There’s a launderette, coffee shops, medical centre and a theatre. I started living on the campus with a roommate and then moved into a house belonging to the university with a couple of other friends I had made. However, despite the universities being very large the class sizes are quite small and personalized. To conclude, my time in the States, thanks to an athletic scholarship, was a huge success. I got to play soccer, completed my Business Studies degree and then went on to do a master’s degree. I made great, lasting friendships with people from all around the world, which has allowed me to experience all sorts of different cultures and broaden my way of thinking. I can say that it was an experience that changed my life in many different ways. Thus I can only recommend the services of Monaco Sports, which offers you opportunities that are not available in Europe. Fernando Herrero, Spain