From sea to shining sea

Promising young stars of the USA National team.

More than 11,000 kilometers away, Baku may seem an odd destination for California natives Julie Rubenstein and Ashley Engle. But rising profile of the Azerbaijani league has brought these talented young players to the shores of Caspian Sea and this is what they had to say about it.

Ashley. I didn't know anything about Azerbaijan before I came here. Some girls from the U.S. team had told me about their experiences, but that was all the information I had.

Julie. A few of my American teammates were here last season, and I was able to ask them what Baku is like and also what it’s like to play here. I was very surprised at how beautiful the architecture is here, and especially at how the city lights up at night.

Ashley. The city is much different than I had expected, more construction than I thought and the downtown area is very nice with lots of great places to eat, which is very important to me. Since I have been in Baku I have checked out the old town and I enjoy walking around the downtown area, especially at night.

Julie. I really like my new team. I am trying to adjust playing with people I am unable to communicate with because of the language barrier. And the league is going to be very competitive and fun to play in. I’m excited to be in this league and of course play against all of my other U.S. teammates that are or will be here.

Ashley. The level of competition will be very high throughout the season. Our team has already scrimmaged a few teams and they are all very talented and will continue to get better just as we will.

I am very close with my family, they were surprised when I had the opportunity to play in Baku but were supportive nonetheless, they knew I wanted a competitive environment to start my professional career. Since I have been here the language barrier has not been a huge problem. My head coach speaks Russian and the majority of the players on my team speak English and have helped me when there is a communication break down.

Julie. When I told my family that I'm going to Azerbaijan their first question was, "you’re going where!?". We all had to do some research online. But once they did, they were happy for me. They are very supportive of everything I do. It has been challenging in terms of language barrier, but it is a great learning experience for me. I enjoy learning about other cultures. I am also trying to learn Russian so I can better communicate with my teammates, coach, and to be able to get around the city better. I love the city center; it’s so beautiful. I spend a lot of time there, with friends, and also eating out at different restaurants. I like trying new foods. I love the lula kebab!

Ashley. I really enjoy the local cuisine. The kebabs are really good. Overall, the hospitality has been refreshing and very helpful as well. In public, I find that people stare often but I assume its because I am very tall and typically in volleyball attire. It seems that volleyball is very popular here and everyone wants to know what team I play for.

Julie. Well being tall, blond, English-speaking, and the fact that I am almost always in athletic clothing makes me stick out too just a little bit.

What am I going to do after I quit playing volleyball? I have thought a lot about what I'm going to do after I retire from sport, and I am still unsure. I enjoy coaching, and have also thought about teaching elementary school students, which is what I studied in college.

Ashley. Once I retire from volleyball I am not sure what I will do. I think it will depend on where I live and when I retire. It's hard to know what I will want to do, when I may not retire for a few more years.

Julie. I credit my family for making me who I am today. I love and miss them very much and when I get homesick I talk with them, my friends and my fiancé on Skype!

Ashley. I do get homesick from time to time but I went to college out of state so I am used to missing my family. I also use Skype everyday to talk to my parents and my sister. My sister and brother in law currently live in Moscow, Russia because my brother-in-law, Kevin Hansen, also plays professional volleyball.

Ashley. My iPod playlist right now has John Mayer, Kid Cudi, Kesha, Tyrone Wells, Brett Dennen, Lady GaGa, and any other songs that you can dance to.

Julie. And I have quite a mix of genres and songs!