SOP Edit #2
I took some of your suggestions and pared down the first paragraph a bit and beefed up the last. I'm applying for a Masters in International Affairs. I'm having trouble making the last paragraph flow Any feedback is appreciated. Thank you!!
Growing up in California, I was surrounded by foreign language speakers. I thought it was fascinating that foreign speakers had different words than the ones we had in English. As a naïve 9-year old, I remember seeing a Spanish speaker in my class who was reading a Spanish book. To my surprise, her book used the same alphabet as English! I was so delighted by this that I turned to the girl and asked “You guys use the same alphabet?!” She was nonplussed, to say the least, but I was honestly surprised and excited by this discovery. While I have grown out of that naïveté, the delight in learning about other cultures has continued as I have pursued a career in international studies.
My background in international studies started in middle school, when I made the decision to study French. I became enamored with French language and culture and took French classes throughout high school and college. When I chose to serve a two-year volunteer mission for my church at the age of 19, I was hopeful that I would be sent to France; however, my church needed me in Brazil instead and, thus, my cultural studies took a different tack. As I lived in Brazil for those two years, I developed an appreciation for all things Brazilian. I studied Portuguese rigorously while there and I am now able to speak it fluently. My decision to earn a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from the University of Utah was a natural progression of my interests.
Since my mission, I have returned to Brazil to both travel and work. I was fortunate enough to have been selected for a 3-month internship in Brazil by the prestigious Hinckley Institute of Politics. My internship was an unparalleled growth opportunity for me, both personally and professionally. As a project manager, I was entrusted with crucial responsibilities and vital information. Much of my job was spent researching the intricate airline law in Brazil and then creating reports on what I learned. The researching skills I learned during my college career helped me greatly. I was grateful for the opportunity to combine the skills I learned in college to accomplish real-world tasks. I discovered that I could successfully combine my personal interest in Brazil with a career. As I interacted with my Brazilian colleagues, I gained an even deeper appreciation of the importance of cross-culture awareness and sensitivity. Most importantly, I realized that there is more than one way to view the world, more than one way of doing things. Concepts I had believed to be black and white became more gray to me. It was discomfiting at first, but now I am grateful to able to see situations from more than one perspective.
After achieving my master’s degree, my goal is to work as a political risk analyst. Johns Hopkins, with its emphasis on international economics will help me achieve this goal. The opportunity to study in both Bologna and Washington is one of the major factors in my decision to apply to SAIS. While my main interest lies in Brazil, I look forward to studying in Europe to expand my cultural horizons. Another factor in my decision to attend SAIS is the internship/fellowship program offered there. The opportunity to work as an intern in Latin America in my specific area of interest would greatly help me on my way to a successful career in political risk analysis
Growing up in California, I was surrounded by foreign language speakers. I thought it was fascinating that foreign speakers had different words than the ones we had in English. As a naïve 9-year old, I remember seeing a Spanish speaker in my class who was reading a Spanish book. To my surprise, her book used the same alphabet as English! I was so delighted by this that I turned to the girl and asked “You guys use the same alphabet?!” She was nonplussed, to say the least, but I was honestly surprised and excited by this discovery. While I have grown out of that naïveté, the delight in learning about other cultures has continued as I have pursued a career in international studies.
My background in international studies started in middle school, when I made the decision to study French. I became enamored with French language and culture and took French classes throughout high school and college. When I chose to serve a two-year volunteer mission for my church at the age of 19, I was hopeful that I would be sent to France; however, my church needed me in Brazil instead and, thus, my cultural studies took a different tack. As I lived in Brazil for those two years, I developed an appreciation for all things Brazilian. I studied Portuguese rigorously while there and I am now able to speak it fluently. My decision to earn a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from the University of Utah was a natural progression of my interests.
Since my mission, I have returned to Brazil to both travel and work. I was fortunate enough to have been selected for a 3-month internship in Brazil by the prestigious Hinckley Institute of Politics. My internship was an unparalleled growth opportunity for me, both personally and professionally. As a project manager, I was entrusted with crucial responsibilities and vital information. Much of my job was spent researching the intricate airline law in Brazil and then creating reports on what I learned. The researching skills I learned during my college career helped me greatly. I was grateful for the opportunity to combine the skills I learned in college to accomplish real-world tasks. I discovered that I could successfully combine my personal interest in Brazil with a career. As I interacted with my Brazilian colleagues, I gained an even deeper appreciation of the importance of cross-culture awareness and sensitivity. Most importantly, I realized that there is more than one way to view the world, more than one way of doing things. Concepts I had believed to be black and white became more gray to me. It was discomfiting at first, but now I am grateful to able to see situations from more than one perspective.
After achieving my master’s degree, my goal is to work as a political risk analyst. Johns Hopkins, with its emphasis on international economics will help me achieve this goal. The opportunity to study in both Bologna and Washington is one of the major factors in my decision to apply to SAIS. While my main interest lies in Brazil, I look forward to studying in Europe to expand my cultural horizons. Another factor in my decision to attend SAIS is the internship/fellowship program offered there. The opportunity to work as an intern in Latin America in my specific area of interest would greatly help me on my way to a successful career in political risk analysis