There are hundreds of countries spread across the globe, each of which features unique languages and cultures.
There are very few ways to converse with foreigners who speak a completely different language, but luckily, there are universal mediums in which people from all over the world can communicate.
One of those mediums is soccer.
The Penn State women's soccer team learned this and more when the Papua New Guinea U-20 National Team visited State College for a day of international bonding.
"It was an awesome experience to get to play with these girls," said junior Elizabeth Ball.
"They made us better and we made them better. It was cool because they're training for a World Cup and we're training for a national championship so we have similar goals, and it was awesome just to get to play with them and experience a new kind of soccer."
The two teams first went through a scrimmage that featured set pieces and areas of improvement for both squads. It was much different than the normal Penn State practice day.
After battling it out on the field, PSU and the visitors came together to share a meal and talk about each other's culture.
The Papua New Guinea squad busted out some native dance moves and presented Penn State with handmade gifts from back home.
It was a full day of fun and a meshing of two completely unalike backgrounds.
"It's such a cool reminder of the bridge that soccer can play for people," said associate head coach Ann Cook. "Obviously it's the world's game, but it's a medium through which we can communicate no matter what our circumstance is."
Cook has been friends with Papua New Guinea's head coach, Lisa Cole, for many years. Last March, Cook visited the team in Papua New Guinea and spent three weeks working with Cole and helping out with the team.
Cook is extremely active globally in the realm of soccer. As a member of Soccer Without Borders, Cook has met hundreds of coaches and players around the world and is actively involved in the organization helping international children use soccer as a tool for growth.
Cook and Cole were finally able to make a practice happen, the first time Penn State has done anything with an international team in the Erica Dambach era.
"Spending a little time with this team, they realize the joy that's in their life," said Dambach. "Maybe they don't have quite as much, but they are able to get as much pleasure out of what they do have."
The biggest takeaway from a large portion of the Penn State team was how positive the Papua New Guinea girls were.
"It's incredible because they have so much less than us and honestly they had way more energy than us," said Ball. "They have an excitement for the game that you just don't see every day here and it made us take a step back and just be so grateful for everything that we have."
The short glimpse into another country gave PSU a taste of how different the sport is around the world. It's still the same sized ball and the same length between the posts, but the opportunity to excel in the United States is unmatched.
"The only difference between our team and their team is the opportunities that we've been afforded," said Cook. "It's a good reminder for us of how lucky we are to have been born where we were born and to whom we are born and the opportunities to come to a place like Penn State and represent our school."
"It's extremely eye-opening because they don't have as much as we're given and sometimes we take it for granted," sophomore Charlotte Williams said.
"They wanted us to eat first and they made little skirts that they were so willing to give to us and it was really sweet."
The two teams finished the day with a competitive sing-off to end the experience with a few laughs. It was unlike any practice these PSU players have ever been a part of.
"I hope that they'll have an appreciation for the fact that the world is a little bit bigger than the United States and that we take so many things for granted," said Cole.
"Having the field, having this great stadium, having coaches that know what they're talking about every day. For these guys that's not the case."
The differences are glaring, but one thing brought these two teams from two different nations together: the sport they both love.