The University of Memphis currently has around 400 student-athletes, and some of them are from other countries.
Some international student-athletes who come to the U of M have an easier time adapting than others. Shakeel Manji, a senior business major from England and one of eight international students on the men’s tennis team, shared his entrance to the United States with his teammates.
“I came with two other English guys, and my first semester I lived with two other English guys,” Manji said. ”So you don’t feel as big of a culture shock.”
Chris Patzanovsky, a junior physics and mathematics major from Regensburg, Germany, another international student on the men’s tennis team came to the U.S. for the first time to attend the U of M.
“The first thing I saw was a McDonald’s with four American flags hanging down, which was funny because that’s how American movies portray America in Europe,” Patzanovsky said.
Patzanovsky said one of the culture shocks for him was the courtesy in the South, which he said is the opposite of European interaction.
“People in Europe are very to themselves, while people here in the South like to help each other out, which I really, really like,” Patzanovsky said.
Students encountering new cultures could bring up cultural discrimination, but Patzanovsky has been mainly sharing his culture with curious people.
“It’s never been harassing but always curiosity I feel like, so people are very interested to find out where I come from, what the background is and to learn about those other cultures,” Patzanovsky said.
Besides absorbing a new culture, Patzanovsky said he still worries about his studies, like the other student-athletes at the U of M. He said it can get stressful for the team during the playing season when midterms and finals come, but he does not make it an excuse for poor performances on the court.
“Just like when we have bad moments in school, we try to stay on top of our game,” Patzanovsky said. “School is never easy.”
Even with a full plate of academics, tennis and living away from home, Patzanovsky said he encourages fellow international students to enjoy their time in the U.S.
“Internationals should really embrace the American spirit, and I hope that people realize coming here how much fun you can have in America,” Patzanovsky said.
Patzanovsky seems like any other student until people hear his German accent. Louis Asser, a journalism and strategic media graduate student, is a former member of the Tigers tennis team from Australia who said he continues to get daily appreciation of his accent.
“I struggle to find a day where I haven’t had someone say, ‘Oh, I love your accent. Where are you from?’” Asser said. “That’s been the case for the last five years, and I don’t think I’ll ever stop liking that.”
Chris Patzanovsky focuses to make a strong serve. Patzanovsky was recruited from Trebur, Germany.
Chris Patzanovsky prepares to return the ball to start a rally during practice
Memphis Tigers Men's Tennis practice at the Racquet Club in East Memphis.
