Considering the culture shock he is certainly still adapting to, Hamza Elias always seems to be smiling.

OK, culture shock might not be the right term. Let's go with climate shock.

The 20-year-old from Ghana, West Africa, left the capital city of Accra about a month ago, arriving in Ottawa midway through the Fury FC training camp when it was still a few degrees below zero and snowing.

Talk about polar opposites.

With the inaugural Fury FC season underway, Elias is still noticeable for the fact that he's always slightly more bundled up for the training sessions than some of his more acclimatized teammates.

Can't really blame him though. The coldest day of the year in Ghana has an average low of 23C.

But weather aside, the affable Elias has settled into Ottawa life and is enjoying himself, though he acknowledges the occasional bout of homesickness.

"I miss home but you have to adapt to everything, and I like it here," he said following a rainy training session at Carleton University on Thursday.

A skilled midfielder who played three seasons in the Ghanaian Premier League, Elias essentially had two choices when it came to furthering his soccer career.

"I had to choose between Portugal and Canada," he said.

Elias has always wanted to come to Canada, he said, because it is a "very peaceful country."

"I was very young when I decided (he wanted to) come to Canada," he said. "When I was three, four, five (years old), I was thinking about Canada."

Still, leaving home was a big decision for Elias. After his father died, a teenaged Elias became the man of the house, helping his mother care for his younger brothers, one 10 and the other a 16-year-old who Elias said is also a very talented footballer. He has an older sister as well, and Elias -- now from a distance -- helps support them all, be it financially or as a father figure.

"I have to take responsibility so I am their father now," said Elias, who remains in touch with his family back home while in Ottawa. "I talk to them and tell them about what I'm doing here. If they need something they tell me."

Elias has also found plenty of support in his teammates, all of whom eagerly welcomed him into the Fury family when he arrived in camp. He's become particularly close with Canadian defender Drew Beckie, who has helped Elias navigate his new home.

"Drew is my father," Hamza said, breaking into a huge grin. "He teaches me and says 'let's go here, don't do this.'

"But I like everybody (on the team)."

Elias made his competitive debut with the Fury in front of a sold out home crowd last weekend. Ottawa lost the match 2-1 in the final seconds, but Elias said the team's outlook remains positive.

He's eager to get back out there against Edmonton Wednesday night.

"(The game) is very important to us," he said. "We have lost two games, but all is not lost. We are training very hard."

He knows his family is following his progress back in Ghana and he wants to make them proud.

"Everybody is very happy for me now," he said. "It's not easy and I like getting this opportunity to play in Ottawa."

chris.hofley@sunmedia.ca

Twitter: @chrishofley