I've only heard of clubs funding pros come to give a few lessons at most.

Or 6d amateur. For weaker amateurs such as myself I have done teaching days but didn't get paid though my hosts bought me dinner. Being paid to play I haven't heard of, what's in it for the club unless it's some kind of inter-club competition?

There are two prerequisites for you to recoup your tournament expenses:

1) choose a tournament where the prize money covers your expenses

2) win the tournament

In chess if you are a member of a club, they send you to tournaments and cover your expenses, but you need to have a certain ELO rating.

Is this really true? For every European country? For every club in Europe? Where does the funding come from? The only way it can plausibly be true for all clubs in all countries is if the funding comes from some central European Chess body. Is that what happens?

Edit: I don't play Chess, nor do I live in Europe, so I really don't know how it works. I don't mean to sound argumentative. If it is like you describe, that's pretty impressive.

Here in the states you pay your own way. Most of our clubs are small, and we participate as amateurs in the best sense of the word, as one who loves the activity. Chess is not much better off in the states.

I wont pay your way over here but if your ever play with our club the pizza and beer is on me. Let us know how you do in the tournaments.

Thank you, I am going to USA in a couple of months anyways