http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/08/sports/soccer/5-things-ive-learned-in-cyprus.html 2014-10-08 02:13:22 5 Things I’ve Learned in Cyprus The writer, whose club is set to play a Women’s Champions League match, reflects on her experiences in a country with which many Americans may be unfamiliar. === LIMASSOL, Cyprus — The air is warm, the people are friendly, and from Limassol, where I am staying, it’s hard to find a place where you can’t run to the Mediterranean Sea. I’m living in an apartment in a tourist area with Lianne Sanderson, Danesha Adams and Ashley Nick, all of whom also played in the National Women’s Soccer League this past season. It’s easy to get swept up in life on the beach, soccer in the evenings and great talks with my roommates until the wee hours. Living here causes me to reflect on this new experience in a country to which not many Americans have traveled. W In my travels, I have come across varying levels of development, respect and news media attention for women’s soccer. It is often humbling and inspirational to see how those involved in the sport are fighting for it to grow and earn acceptance. The Learning about the women’s game in this country where women have traditionally not been encouraged to take part in sports has made me gain a lot of respect for my teammates. Many of the Americans here have come to join the team for the Cyprus Is Not Much Bigger Than Delaware I knew Cyprus is a small island country, but I don’t think I quite understood that until I got here. You can drive most places within an hour, which only makes the development of strong leagues even more impressive. Most N.W.S.L. teams draw from areas that are hundreds of thousands of square miles bigger than all of Cyprus. So Many Cats! Since I have been here In Cyrpus, the Traditional Food Is Delicious This won’t come as a surprise to most, especially if you like Greek food. Cypriot meze is the equivalent of Spanish tapas. Meze means “small dishes,” just enough for everyone at the table to have a taste. But they keep on coming! Every meal I’ve had has included various grilled meats and fresh vegetables. People eat dinner much later than I’m used to in the United States, often not before 9 p.m. Different Place, Similar Team Dynamics It is always a challenge when international players join a team composed of mostly domestic players, who have played for the club for many years. I felt this strongly in my short stay in Russia with F.C. Rossiyanka and even a bit when I was in Sweden with Kopparsberg/Goteborg F.C. As an outsider, it’s difficult to truly understand the culture of the new place and what challenges the current players face daily. As an international player, you are hired to bring your strengths to help raise the level of the team, but you also must be sensitive to the status quo and not disrupt what is and has been. Currently on Apollon’s women’s team, there are eight Americans, one Englishwoman, one Dutchwoman, one player from Malta, a couple from Greece — the rest of the team is Cypriot. The club has invested to win against Brondby (after Wednesday, the return match in Denmark is scheduled to be played Oct. 16), but I am always aware that there are players who fought to get the team to this point in the competition before I arrived. Some of those players will lose their starting spots, or not even be on the roster for the Champions League games. It is a tough situation for everyone, but as the new players, we must focus on our job — to represent Apollon to the best of our abilities, and hopefully to win. I feel proud to be part of this club from a small country with such a large heart. We are striving to make history for women’s football in Cyprus! Yael Averbuch, a native of Montclair, N.J., is back in Europe after playing a season for Washington in the N.W.S.L. Her website is