There are almost 8,000 miles between Indiana and India, a distance spanning deserts, valleys and oceans. At both ends are two different worlds, offering different culture and experiences.
Ball State senior tennis player Dave Thomas has experienced both this semester.
Thomas spent almost two weeks in New Delhi, India, representing his home country Bermuda at the Delhi 2010 XIX Commonwealth Games last month. The tournament is a single-elimination competition that brings together athletes from across the world. Thomas compared it to a step below the Olympics.
"This was a great opportunity to be selected as part of Bermuda's international team," he said. "That's not something that happens by chance. If you put in the time and work, you definitely reap the rewards."
Thomas had a quick exit in the tournament, losing in the first round of singles competition. He teamed with his roommate, Gavin Manders, in a doubles loss against Barbados.
The tournament forced him to miss Ball State's Michigan State Invitational on Oct. 8-10. Thomas said he chose to leave the comforts of Muncie and his teammates because of the pride that comes along with such the honor, which he received through a summer liaison.
"I was a bit apprehensive with missing two weeks of school, work and potentially missing out on a couple fall events [the team] played," he said. "Once we got the reassurance from coach [Bill Richards] that it would be alright to go, and professors who were all for me going, I had no reservations whatsoever."
Thomas said the atmosphere was unlike anything he's witnessed. Participants were in the thousands and 71 countries were represented. There were also 100,000 armed guards to make sure everything went smoothly.
This is not Thomas' first time being on a big stage. He competed in Gibraltar, a small country near Spain, in 2005, and Greece in 2007. Although he had big-match experience, he said nothing compared to the Commonwealth games.
"This was by far the biggest occasion and biggest stage that I've been to," he said. "The opening ceremony held 60,000-plus, and the entire population of Bermuda is between 65,000 to 70,000.
"We were literally within the whole population of Bermuda just at the opening ceremony."
As much as Thomas enjoyed the Commonwealth Games, his favorite memory had little to do with tennis.
As Thomas bent down to pick up a ball during his opening match, he heard his name being called from a side court. He glanced over his shoulder and saw his grandmother standing, cheering for him.
Thomas said he hadn't expected to see anyone from his family at the tournament. But there she was, supporting him.
"It was pretty special because she's always lent her support when I've played and traveled in the past," he said. "But she's a rather busy person. So she rarely gets to see me play, let alone in another country."
Although Thomas didn't place and had a rather early exit, he said it was the experience and honor of representing his country that mattered most to him.
At this stage in his career, Thomas said he cares much more about learning the game and improving his weaknesses. Thomas saw many professional athletes whom he bombarded with questions, trying to get an idea of how they've become professionals.
"I would ask them what sort of things they do in their daily training regiments. Just looking at their sense of professionalism really makes you want to do things a certain way to better yourself," he said. "I think that can be likened to anybody on our team, myself included."
Now that he's back home, Thomas can relax in the area he knows best — Muncie, with his teammates and coaches, where he feels he belongs.
"It's definitely a heightened sense of comfort [being home]. I was in a completely-foreign country where I didn't really know how anything worked," he said. "Once you're back at school, it's sort of like you're back at home – back in your routine.
"This experience is something I will never forget."