Through the Eyes of International Scholar-Athletes

Compiled and written by Brie Severino

*** You can see Isabela Dobra, Jovana Papaz, and Sabire Karacaova live this week as UC San Diego closes out its season with a pair of home matches inside RIMAC Arena. On Friday, November 26, the Tritons host CSU Bakersfield (7 p.m.) and on Saturday, November 27, they entertain Cal Poly (5 p.m.). Saturday's match will be Senior Day and all seven Triton seniors, including Isabela and Jovana, will be celebrated. ***

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Leaving family, friends, and loved ones from home to pursue a degree is an endeavor that every college student one day faces. International students have twice the battle of adapting to a new language, culture, and way of life. UC San Diego athletics welcomes scholar-athletes from many countries around the world and the women’s volleyball team is no exception. The Tritons have three international women playing for the program this season, all of which come from European countries. A significant number considering there are 19 total players on the roster.

Senior setter Isabela Dobra was a transfer during the team’s 2019 season, coming from Tyler Junior College in Texas. Isabela grew up in Bucharest, Romania, and came to the United States in 2017 to complete her bachelor’s degree and continue her college volleyball career. Isabela has started 25 of 29 matches this season and is averaging 10.3 assists per set. In September, she was named a San Diego Sports Association Star of the Month.

Senior outside hitter Jovana Papaz from Sarajevo, Bosnia, is currently in her second year with the Tritons after transferring from Arizona Western College, where she began her collegiate volleyball career in the U.S. Before traveling to the United States, Jovana played on the junior national team for Bosnia and Herzegovina for a total of five years.

Freshman outside hitter Sabire Karacaova from Istanbul, Turkey, joined the Tritons for the 2021 season and has made an immediate impact. She is second on the team in kills per set, points per set, and service aces. In addition, she is fourth in digs per set.

These exceptional international athletes are excited to share their personal perspectives of coming to America to play volleyball, as well as some of their favorite cultural aspects of home.

What challenges did you encounter when coming to America as an international player?

Isabela Dobra (Bucharest, Romania): When I arrived four years ago, I didn't know any English, so I struggled a lot for the first couple of months. I was lucky enough to have a few internationals around me. Challenges were a lot as an international, but with time I got comfortable being around Americans. I had to learn their ways so they can accept and understand my ways too.

Jovana Papaz (Sarajevo, Bosnia): Language and culture the most. I needed some time to adjust to the changes, but once I did, I really started enjoying my time in the United States.

Sabire Karacaova (Istanbul, Turkey): This was my first time here in America. This was so scary at first. San Diego was a city that I had never been to and had never seen. I didn't know much about the things here. I knew English but I wasn't so sure about myself. Speaking in a different language in a place where no one knows your first language is a scary thing.

How did you first hear about UC San Diego? Can you elaborate on your recruiting process?

Isabela Dobra (Bucharest, Romania): I was in Texas at a Junior College (TJC). I did my two years of school there and then had to transfer. So, I started looking for a four-year university on the Internet and I found UC San Diego. The location attracted me a lot because it is a two-hour drive to LA, which is an option for me to live in the future. Hearing it's a good academic school as well, I instantly sent an e-mail to coach Ricci with my volleyball highlights and achievements during my college years. He responded to me, and then I remember visiting campus and loving it, so here I am!

Jovana Papaz (Sarajevo, Bosnia): I used to play for Arizona Western College and after graduating there, I decided to transfer to a four-year university. I had few options to choose from, but UC San Diego was definitely the best one. I sent an email with my video to the coaching staff, and then I came to visit. I was amazed how beautiful this place is, and on the other hand, the coaching staff and girls were so nice to me. It felt like home. It was not hard to make that decision at all!

Sabire Karacaova (Istanbul, Turkey): Coming to the United States was my biggest dream. I was looking for schools and I found UC San Diego from the list of best schools in America. I just thought, “Yes this is my dream school and I need to work hard for it!”. I started to study for the exams. When I finally got the results, I just started to talk with the coach. And now I'm here!

What has been the most enjoyable aspect about being a part of the UC San Diego team?

Isabela Dobra (Bucharest, Romania): Seeing how the volleyball team is building a new atmosphere around international players with me being the first on the team. Also, how close we all got together as teammates and friends, understanding and supporting each other, creating relationships that will last forever. I love that!!! The coaches are also a huge enjoyable aspect for me because they are my only "parents" here and they helped me so much to become the person that I am today.

Jovana Papaz (Sarajevo, Bosnia): Spending time with girls that became my other family and playing volleyball at a high level.

Sabire Karacaova (Istanbul, Turkey): My teammates!!! They make everything funnier and easier.

What is the difference between playing volleyball in your country vs. the United States?

Isabela Dobra (Bucharest, Romania): Playing volleyball in Romania is a little bit different. There, people treat the sport as an actual job. After high school you kind of have to choose if you want to continue playing sports or you want to do school because you don't really have the time to do both. It is very intense, they treat it very seriously. Here in America, volleyball (sports) is more of a side thing, I will say - you play it for fun or just for a few years until you finish college.

Jovana Papaz (Sarajevo, Bosnia): There are so many differences, but I found it interesting that here the season lasts for only two months. Back home I used to play my season for nine months.

Sabire Karacaova (Istanbul, Turkey): Actually, there is not that big of a difference, just the terms and positions are different.

Did you experience culture shock when you first came to America?

Isabela Dobra (Bucharest, Romania): Yes, I did, but I wouldn't say it was a crazy shock because I expected it to be different... I just didn't know how different it would be and how fast I could adapt to it. Food was a big shock to me - especially sauces. Americans eat a lot of sauce, and on everything. Back home, you pay for the sauce and you don't have as many options as here. Also, the drinks here in America, when you go to a restaurant, you get to refill them all the time without paying extra. In Romania, never. You will have to pay again for each drink that you get, no matter what. And the ice - Americans always put ice in everything, and I like my cola without it. And air conditioning. It's everywhere, that's why I am always cold.

Jovana Papaz (Sarajevo, Bosnia): I did. At the beginning, it was really hard to be far away from my family and adapt to a new environment, speak another language, and make friends with complete strangers.

Sabire Karacaova (Istanbul, Turkey): Yes a little! Many things are very different from Turkey, like units of measurements, foods, and historical places.

What's your favorite holiday family tradition from your country?

Isabela Dobra (Bucharest, Romania): My favorite is for sure Saint Nicholas Day. It is right before Christmas, on 6 December, the day St. Nicholas died. It is the little Santa Claus, that’s what I call it, and I used to love it. On 5 December at night, you will find me and my cousins in the bathroom, cleaning our boots so hard until they shine so we can line them up to wake up in the morning at 4 a.m. (I had no patience) to see what presents we would get.

Jovana Papaz (Sarajevo, Bosnia): Definitely Christmas! That is the time of year when all of my family is gathered.

Sabire Karacaova (Istanbul, Turkey): My favorite tradition in Turkey is the Candy Feast, which is when I gather candy in the morning from different houses and later that night my family comes together to have a huge feast.

What is your favorite sport to watch from your country?

Isabela Dobra (Bucharest, Romania): Soccer, but we call it football. Another one will be handball. Not the American handball where you throw the ball in the wall, but the International Handball, where you have two teams, seven players on each one, passing the ball to one another and trying to score into the goal of the other team. It's a combination of soccer and basketball.

Jovana Papaz (Sarajevo, Bosnia): My favorite sport to watch in Bosnia is soccer.

Sabire Karacaova (Istanbul, Turkey): Women's volleyball!! We have the best league.

What is your favorite food from your country?

Isabela Dobra (Bucharest, Romania): My favorite food from Romania is soup - I love them. We have so many different types of soups (originally called Ciorba) that are amazing. My favorite one is Ciorba de pui a la grec (Greek Style Chicken Soup). Also, I love Mamaliga (Polenta) with Sarmale (Cabbage Rolls) and sour cream!

Jovana Papaz (Sarajevo, Bosnia): All types of Bosnian food! It tastes amazing! It is a mix of Mediterranean and Turkish food.

Sabire Karacaova (Istanbul, Turkey): My favorite food from Turkey is Manti (stuffed dumplings with caramelized tomato sauce, brown butter sauce, and garlicky yogurt sauce).

What is your favorite spot to visit in your country?

Isabela Dobra (Bucharest, Romania): The Old Town and the parks. Old Town is a spot with architectural heritage where everybody meets together for a good time. There are a lot of bars, cafes, and restaurants around. Also, I love the parks because they are all full of green spaces with numerous activities and my whole childhood has been around that.

Jovana Papaz (Sarajevo, Bosnia): Old town of Sarajevo. There are so many interesting stores and food places, and it is a favorite place for tourists as well.

Sabire Karacaova (Istanbul, Turkey): Cappadocia!

About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program began a new era in 2020 as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 84 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions.