Six reasons why I wish to begin Serbian/Croatian Studies at SSEES and why I should prove to be an asset to your institution.
Each reason represents one the six republics of the former Yugoslavia.
1) Although I was born in the United Kingdom, I have a decent working knowledge of south-eastern European history, from Stephan Dusan's loss of the Serbian Empire followed by the Battle of Kosovo Polje in the CE14 to the one state of two faiths in the 1840s; from Gavrilo Princip triggering the Second World War, to the machinations of Slobodan Milosevic arguably causing the fission of the Yugoslav state in the late CE20.
2) By the time the course starts, I should already have some sort of grasp of Serbian language, having self-started thanks to one of Jelena Calic's audio-books for beginners. I don't pretend I shall be speaking like a native, but it will be a small buffer of knowledge nevertheless.
3) Such is my level of interest in the language, history and culture of the region that I am prepared to forego secure employment, with decent prospects, in order to learn more. This isn't something I'd do lightly. I realise I shall be most likely working in an off-licence or in a low-ranking office job for the duration of the course, and it is something I accept as necessary if I am to fulfill this ambition, which grows increasingly within me as time passes.
4) I expect that I have more life experience than the majority of applicants to SSEES. Having held down a job since the age of 19, and spent some of the time since that period engaging in Open University courses ranging from Spanish to history, I feel this equips me to re-align myself with full-time study, and yet I retain an interest in and knowledge of the former Yugoslavia gleaned from extensive reading, and the realisation that life throws up challenges unrelated to the results of examinations and the existence of deadlines.
