Football unites - including China, Saxony and Switzerland
Jun Zhang, student of Computer Science at Technische Universität Chemnitz, analyzes avocationally football matches in Saxony for a Swiss company
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Jun Zhang uses his passion for football professionally. Photo: private
The sports activity is said to have always been uniting people of different backgrounds. Germany´s favorite representative promotes especially with this motto the sport of football. But not only have the players often come from different countries and cultures. Taking a closer look at the press stands of football stadiums in Saxony, one will often find the Chinese student Jun Zhang among other local journalists and game observers. However, his collected information does not serve as material for a sports article in a local newspaper. The data instead migrates to Switzerland.
For three years now, lives the 32-year-old Jun Zhang during his studies in Computer Science at Technische Universität in Chemnitz. A number of factors have influenced his choice of a place to study: "The German education enjoys an excellent international reputation, especially in the area of Information Technology." In addition, Germany´s central location within Europe offers a good basis to get to know a variety of different countries beyond the studies. "Also, the expenses played for me a big role," adds the student of Computer Science. In international comparison, Germany is a low-priced residential paving, ideal for such self-suppliers and financiers as Zhang. At the beginning of his stay in Chemnitz, however, German language was a big challenge for Zhang. Thanks to a language course at TU Chemnitz as well as everyday practical use, now he has largely overcome this hurdle.
To finance his studies, Zhang came across a football related online ad of a large Swiss company, which was looking for journalists for football matches in Saxony. Zhang, who plays football for about ten years, applied for the position and received it. "From now on, I had the unique opportunity to make money with my hobby," says the football-loving student. He describes his workflow as follows: "You can sign up for various football matches in the region via an online platform for which you will then be accredited by the company. Then you go to the game, collect the required data and transfer it to Switzerland." The Swiss company is then analyzing the obtained information and presents its findings and various statistics to various sports and football magazines.
Zhang already knows how to proceed after graduation: "Firstly, I want to stay in Germany, gain professional experience and improve my language skills. Secondly, my big goal is to come back to my homeland and work for a German company in China."
(Author: Martin Blaschka, Translation: Nataliia Boiko)
Katharina Thehos
23.05.2014
