Ryan Babel Quotes

Actually, it's normal when you come to a new club and country: you need to get used to the language, the philosophy of the team, the squad, the coach.

I couldn't settle in Italy - it was like living in a foreign country.

I lived in England to learn English. When I went to England for the first time, it was like being on the Moon. I had no friends, I couldn't speak the language. I was very isolated.

It's hard when you are trying to ingratiate yourself in a completely foreign world. It takes a long time.

The first few months in a new country are always really hard.

Korean, yes, I am now fluent in Korean. I was not always. When I got to Korea, I was constantly put on TV shows not knowing what was going on. So that forced me to learn Korean so I could stop looking like an idiot.

It is not easy to arrive in a different country and adapt quickly, but I think I'm getting there, and I'm proud of that.

When I started going to school, I started getting used to things, like the language. After that, I started adapting to school, friends, and everything. It was really difficult, to start with, but I survived.

I never played any games like this in Germany, not when you have to fight for 90 minutes. But if I want to be successful in England, I have to get used to it.

It's difficult to adapt to Barcelona.

It is a big challenge for me to come to the Chinese Super League.

English players are probably scared to come abroad. They are in a comfort zone in England: that's where we grew up; that's where we played in youth teams.

People don't even know how hard it is to play in China. People think it is easy for the foreign players, but it is really not. It's difficult.

You never know for sure whether a player will adapt to a new country until he gets there.

Moving to India was challenging being a foreigner. I don't have any family here. I didn't have anyone to guide me. But I never felt for a second that I am not welcome here.

Everything has changed since I came to China.

My father, when he arrived in this country found it difficult.

English football is very different, and I had to adapt to it much more than I would have had if I had stayed in the Russian league. But after a season, I felt a lot better, a lot fitter.

There is no question that Korean footballers have the ability to play in Europe. The real challenge is whether they will be able to adapt to western culture.

My first year in Munich was definitely not easy.

The biggest change of my life was coming to America.

When I land in a new country, I'm a tourist. I can't become a local in one day.

When I was 16 I took the first opportunity I had to play basketball in a different country. I flew to Europe for the first time and found myself in the small town of Macon, in France. That was the first time I lived far away from my people, from my culture. I was young and had to adapt quickly.

Before I came to Korea, my family worried about me because I came here when I was very young.

Moving to France is not the hard part. Living here is more difficult. Of course there are many benefits but it's not always easy especially if you don't speak the language.