Felix Hebbler comes to USC Union from Germany. A freshman, he says that moving to the U.S. has been an adjustment, but has given him to opportunity to play soccer and study. “It is easier to put playing and going to school together,” he said.
Felix says the biggest culture shock he experienced upon moving to the upstate was seeing the number of fast-food restaurants and shopping centers. He says it is very different from living in Germany, where everything you need is in walking distance. “You need a car for everything here,” he said. Fast food has also been one of the perks of the U.S. for Felix, who says Zaxaby’s has become his new go-to restaurant.
Felix says that while he misses his friends at home, he likes getting to practice his English and living alongside his team. He has also learned to cook since moving to Union for college.
“I have always wanted to come to the states to play ball, but the coaches at USC Union were the decision factor,” said Olivia Prokopchuk, a freshman Lady Bantams Softball player from Saskatoon in Saskatchewan, Canada. She says that she first discovered USC Union when Coach Kevin Birchfield scouted her at Nationals in Calgary.
“Everything here is so different,” she said. “Where I live is prairie and it can get down to -50 degrees. It is a small town and you can walk everywhere.” She says that living in Union has been challenging in some ways, but that it is growing on her. “The independence of living so far away from home is setting me up for success,” she said. Her favorite USC Union memory so far has been meeting new people.
When she graduates from college, Olivia hopes to return home and become a physical therapist.
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