Playing professional sports or even being a student-athlete abroad can culturally affect people.
In the WNBA there are several players who continue playing basketball overseas after the U.S. basketball season is over. The highest profile player in recent times has been Brittney Griner, who played in the Russian women’s basketball league and was detained by Russian authorities for months due to CBD possession.
FIRST-HAND SHOCK
When people first arrive in a foreign country, being away from the comfort of family and friends can be challenging.
Professional basketball player Lexie Brown signed with a Hungarian basketball club in 2018. She talked about her experiences through her YouTube videos.
As she mentioned in one of her videos, she was struggling with a couple cultural differences. Being away from home and not be able to talk to friends can be hard, due to the time differences.
Additionally, going to a country where the race is totally different can be very challenging.
BENEFITS OF WORKING ABROAD
There are benefits that you can gain while overseas, according to Isobel Hannan, head of global mobility and talent attraction at Hays.com:
Choosing to move to a foreign country is an excellent way to propel your career forward.
Working on cultural intelligence is somewhat essential these days since the “world of work globalizes.”
Different workspaces could drive the best out of people. It’s important to study that particular culture where the job is.
It’s a necessity to develop verbal and non-verbal ways to learn the language. It’s not only important in the sports world but is also essential to survive.
TCKs TEND TO HAVE IT EASIER
Third-Culture Kids or even Adults could have an easier time of it, since they already learned about different cultures growing up. Therefore, it is smoother for them to understand what is different.
So, having a job in another country has many advantages, since it helps with many human traits and with mixing cultures.
