By Sara Vierra 2015

Delphine Rouvillois (DR) is new to the Bronco's women's tennis team this quarter and also new to the United States! Dreaming of studying here since the age of 14, Rouvillois shared a bit about her experience with SantaClaraBroncos.com thus far (SCU).  

Overall, Rouvillois is really enjoying her time at Santa Clara University and is embracing all of the differences that America has to offer. 

SCU: What made you decide to play and study internationally?

DR: I had friends who studied and played internationally before and they told me about their experiences. It has been one of my dreams since I was 14! I absolutely wanted to play on a tennis team at an American university!

SCU: Has it been a difficult transition? Had you traveled to the United States a lot before deciding to study here?

DR: The transition was very difficult in the beginning due to the language barrier. I had traveled to the United States three times before deciding to study here.

SCU: What is the biggest difference about your life in France and your life in the US, thus far?

DR: The biggest difference about my life in France and my life here in the US is that I am not with my parents anymore. I am very independent now. Also, other differences include the food, the weather and kindness of Americans. 

SCU: Do you enjoy living in Swig? Do you find it difficult balancing academics and athletics?

DR: I enjoy living in Swig-- I have met a lot of people! It's sometimes difficult to balance academics and athletics because we don't have a lot of time to work due to practice and travels. That's why we have to be very efficient when we have time to work.

SCU: How does tennis differ in the US than in France? Is the style of play different?

DR: Tennis in America is more of a team sport, and in France it's more of an individual sport. I find that the style of play is a little bit different.

SCU: How is the education system different in France compared to the US? Is it harder?

DR: Here the education system is based on what you really want to study because you choose all of your classes. In France, it is more or less like that, but you do not choose each class. Consequently, sometimes you are not interested in some of the classes. In addition, teachers are closer to the students here! For example, there are no office hours in France. 

SCU: When did you start to play tennis? How often did you play growing up?

DR: I started to play tennis when I was seven. I played three times a week when I was in France. It is a big difference here because I play every day.