Moving to a new country can be rough. A new culture, a new language and no family within a thousand miles seems like a pretty stressful situation. But, for NIU men’s basketball player Ante Dzepina, the ride to America has been nothing less than fun.

Dzepina, a center for the Huskies, moved to the U.S. in 2006 from Croatia, a small country in Europe. He left his family behind but now has plenty of friends, including a girlfriend, and has learned the ropes to becoming a successful NCAA athlete in the States.

Dzepina sat down with the Northern Star to talk about his experiences coming to the U.S., why he’s excited to go back to his hometown and what he does on his days off.

Northern Star: You were born and raised in Croatia. How is life different here compared to living in Croatia?

Ante Dzepina: There’s a big difference in schools. First of all, we don’t have huge high school basketball or college basketball teams. And we have a different culture. The biggest difference is in the food. We got really good food. Here there is a lot of fast food, what you would call junk food. In Croatia we have just really, really good food.

NS: When you came to the U.S., how did you learn the new language?

AD: I came here in 2006, and I didn’t speak a word. I had a really hard time. Everyone around me would speak, and I would be so confused. My roommate, who’s at DePaul now, was here already one year before me so he would translate for me and help me. I took some ESL classes too, but that didn’t help me too much.

NS: Do you have any family in the U.S., or is it just you?

AD: Just me. They’re all back in Croatia.

NS: Do you ever get to go back and visit them?

AD: Usually over the summer. I can’t wait to go now, because I am an uncle. My sister just had a baby a couple months ago in October, and I can’t wait to see my nephew. I’ll get to hang out with my family, and I was just teaching my younger brother a little about basketball and how to play since he is skinny and tall. I have to explain to him, he doesn’t believe me, that it’s much better over here.

NS: Along with teaching your brother, do you think one day you’ll be teaching your nephew about the game of basketball?

AD: Of course. Probably not for the next couple years though; right now the ball is heavier than he is.

NS: Besides teaching and playing basketball, what is your favorite hobby off the court?

AD: Being lazy. My schedule is very tough, and I don’t get pretty much free time, but usually in my free time I like to be chill and chill with my girlfriend.

NS: Is your girlfriend able to make it out to the games?

AD: Yeah, definitely. She’s actually upstairs waiting for me now.

NS: What’s something not many people know about you?

AD: I drive an old car. One of my friends gave me a really old car. He said, ‘I don’t need it, do you want it?’ and I said, ‘Yeah.’ I don’t know much about it, but it’s a 1988.