It’s fairly common in the sports world to hear athletes speak about how hard it is to be away from home. From being in a different city to sometimes a whole different continent, distance can really take a toll on an individual.

For Illinois track & field athletes Luuk Pelkmans and Elizabeth Ndudi, however, it’s just part of the job.

Pelkmans, a freshman from the Netherlands, has already made a significant impact on the program, breaking the school record in his heptathlon debut just a few months ago.

As far as distance goes, it doesn’t really bother Pelkmans.

“I’m cool with being alone by myself, I kind of like it … sport is my priority,” Pelkmans said.

Having his older brother, transfer freshman Tim Pelkmans, on the team has also been a big help for him.

“He’s a good person to talk to if I have problems and stuff like that, just him being around me makes me feel way more comfortable here,” Luuk said. “We got some more Dutch people here, so that really helps a lot.”

Luuk Pelkmans’ junior teammate, Ndudi, who is Irish living in France, shares a similar mindset.

“I’m someone who is fine coming to a different country alone, especially when you like a sport so much and you put all your energy into that,” Ndudi said. “I think creating a routine, or having a routine, is very important.”

Ndudi also emphasizes the bonds she’s made with her teammates.

“Having a family inside of track makes it easier for being (away from) home because you’re always surrounded with good people, and that makes it a lot easier,” Ndudi said.

Although she says she’s not the type to miss people, Ndudi still answers whenever her parents call, which is usually around three times a week.

Food, favorites

Another aspect that may be hard to get used to is culture shock. When asked if they’ve ever experienced that in the U.S., both Pelkmans and Ndudi mentioned the same topic: food.

“I’m always going to say food, because obviously France has great food,” Ndudi said. “Coming here, I definitely have to watch what I eat just because there’s different things in American food that my body is not used to.”

Pelkmans had a similar assessment, referring to American food being processed, but also admitted that it is convenient.

When asked what Dutch food he could bring to the U.S., Luuk mentioned Pannenkoeken, Dutch pancakes that can be enjoyed both sweet and savory, as well as Frikandel, a long, skinless, fried sausage usually made up of a blend of meats.

As Illinois students, Pelkmans and Ndudi also have a few favorite food spots on campus.

“I got to go for Raising Cane’s,” Pelkmans said. “That’s my favorite food spot for sure.”

As for Ndudi, she says she has a preference for Asian food.

“I love Asian food,” Ndudi said. “Dim Sum House on Green Street, things like that. I love dumplings, and we don’t really have a lot of Asian spots in France where I’m from, so I love eating that here.”

When asked if there are any French words she enjoys hearing Americans pronounce, she mentioned the word croissant and also a certain phrase. 

“It’s funny hearing Americans always say, ‘voulez vous coucher avec moi,’ so, if you get that, you get that,” Ndudi said. 

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