clauana
Feb 17, 2025
Scholarship / The Value of Hard Work - GKS-G Personal Statement [2]
Hello again! This time, I'm back to ask for help reviewing my personal statement for the GKS-G, embassy track. As it's my first time writing a personal statement, I'm not sure if it sounds off-track or not.
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Maturing in a household of women only, shaped my perspective on resilience, emotional awareness, and the value of conquering goals step by step. I strongly believe that the people around us significantly influence who we become. After my parents' divorce, being raised by my mother in the same house as my aunt and grandmother deepened my understanding of strength, independence and problem-solving skills. I witnessed firsthand how they navigated challenges, balancing work, family responsibilities, and personal growth. Their resilience taught me not only the importance of perseverance but also instilled in me a deep appreciation for the opportunities life unfolds.
My mother is a surgical nurse, tenured public employee, at a state university hospital. Being in contact with university professors, she frequently told me about the power and importance of a strong academic education and how it can affect one's life. Therefore, she frequently supported any academic activities I had been interested in. When a young child, I enrolled in local English courses, but it was at the age of thirteen that I had the opportunity to study fully English through the University of Pernambuco's language program which made a difference on my interest in languages and different cultures.
By the time I reached the last year of middle school, I was certain that my passion laid in creating bridges between people and providing opportunities for diverse perspectives. Growing up surrounded by Asian content on television shows sparked my curiosity about East Asian. In 2016, at the age of fourteen, I was first introduced to South Korea. The Korean alphabet fascinated me for its visual harmony and intricate connections, much like a puzzle. To better understand the language and culture, I started learning Korean in the last semester of 2016 through a local course.
In my second year of high school, I've also started to learn Chinese language as I discovered that China, a few centuries ago, has played a significant cultural, political, and intellectual role in East Asia. Marking its influence in some of the Korean vocabulary as well, the Chinese loanwords, the Hanja, used in some contexts, even though less common in everyday use compared to Hangul, I found it fascinating. Besides that, the growing bilateral collaborations between China and Brazil were also a point of interest for me.
Advancing in both languages, especially Korean, I moved from a local course to the Korean Educational Center in São Paulo (KEISP) as their intermediate and advanced language courses would allow me to enhance my skills. While having classes, I actively participated in various Korean language oratory contests and culture festivals as a volunteer. I also received awards at the speech contests held by KEISP, such as: Grand Award, Cleverness Award and Honorable Mention.
In that very manner, the initial curiosity I had about the language gradually grew, evolving from just a long-term language course to a deep interest in South Korea's development as a nation. This thought, naturally, evolved to my desire in pursuing a major in International Relations, where I could explore the complexities of global interactions and contribute to fostering understanding and cooperation among different cultures and nations.
While on my first years on university, I was also making progress on Chinese language, I was selected for twice for national stages for the Global Chinese Bridge Competitions, in which I received honorable participation. In 2021, I was invited to join the four weeks program of Chinese Bridge Delegation at the Central University of Finance and Economics in Beijing, unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemics, the course was conducted online; upon its completion I was awarded a certificate of achievement for meritorious conclusion. Last year, I received a score of 280/300 from the Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK level 3) and an 82/100 score for the HSK Speaking test (HSKK).
Throughout my Bachelor's degree in International Relations, I had one course specifically about Asian region in which I was completely captivated by South Korea's remarkable transformation from a war-torn nation to a global cultural and educational powerhouse. My fascination with Korea's strategic use of Hallyu as soft power not only shaped my academic pursuits but also inspired me to explore comprehensively the dynamics of power itself in global politics. My undergraduate thesis, "South Korea: Hallyu as a Soft Power Instrument in Foreign Policy" not only allowed me to analyze the power perspectives on Korea's cultural influence on the global scenery, but also, ignited my ambition to further explore the interplay between culture, national identity and politics.
On my senior year, I had the honor to be selected by the Academy of Korean Studies to participate on the "34th AKS Summer Program for International Students". For three intensive weeks, this summer program aims to cultivate young leaders who can contribute to the development of Korean studies. It includes special lectures regarding Korea, intensive advanced Korean language courses, excursions, and traditional cultural activities. During the three weeks in Korea participating in the program, I had the opportunity to learn a lot of different aspects on South Korea's culture, history, language, and, not less important, politics. From that experience I realized that my sense of purpose in keeping my research goals having South Korea as an object of study couldn't be more correct.
Alongside my academic strides, in 2022, I was accepted for a position at a trade company from United States. Since then, my role as an international trade operations analyst in a multicultural international company has provided me with practical insights into global dynamics and cultural adaptation, complementing my academic background.
South Korea, home to several prestigious universities, offers an ideal environment for my academic growth-especially as I continue to focus on Korea as my object of study. Completing my Master's degree in South Korea would deepen my understanding of contemporary Korean political and cultural dynamics, while contributing to advancements in comparative political studies and fostering bilateral dialogue.
The Global Korea Scholarship Program represents more than just an exceptional educational opportunity to me; it embodies the value of hard work in achieving aspirations and making the most of every opportunity life presents. It also marks an important step in my journey to become a bridge for bilateral cooperation, both academically and within the global community, between Brazil and South Korea.
Hello again! This time, I'm back to ask for help reviewing my personal statement for the GKS-G, embassy track. As it's my first time writing a personal statement, I'm not sure if it sounds off-track or not.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maturing in a household of women only, shaped my perspective on resilience, emotional awareness, and the value of conquering goals step by step. I strongly believe that the people around us significantly influence who we become. After my parents' divorce, being raised by my mother in the same house as my aunt and grandmother deepened my understanding of strength, independence and problem-solving skills. I witnessed firsthand how they navigated challenges, balancing work, family responsibilities, and personal growth. Their resilience taught me not only the importance of perseverance but also instilled in me a deep appreciation for the opportunities life unfolds.
My mother is a surgical nurse, tenured public employee, at a state university hospital. Being in contact with university professors, she frequently told me about the power and importance of a strong academic education and how it can affect one's life. Therefore, she frequently supported any academic activities I had been interested in. When a young child, I enrolled in local English courses, but it was at the age of thirteen that I had the opportunity to study fully English through the University of Pernambuco's language program which made a difference on my interest in languages and different cultures.
By the time I reached the last year of middle school, I was certain that my passion laid in creating bridges between people and providing opportunities for diverse perspectives. Growing up surrounded by Asian content on television shows sparked my curiosity about East Asian. In 2016, at the age of fourteen, I was first introduced to South Korea. The Korean alphabet fascinated me for its visual harmony and intricate connections, much like a puzzle. To better understand the language and culture, I started learning Korean in the last semester of 2016 through a local course.
In my second year of high school, I've also started to learn Chinese language as I discovered that China, a few centuries ago, has played a significant cultural, political, and intellectual role in East Asia. Marking its influence in some of the Korean vocabulary as well, the Chinese loanwords, the Hanja, used in some contexts, even though less common in everyday use compared to Hangul, I found it fascinating. Besides that, the growing bilateral collaborations between China and Brazil were also a point of interest for me.
Advancing in both languages, especially Korean, I moved from a local course to the Korean Educational Center in São Paulo (KEISP) as their intermediate and advanced language courses would allow me to enhance my skills. While having classes, I actively participated in various Korean language oratory contests and culture festivals as a volunteer. I also received awards at the speech contests held by KEISP, such as: Grand Award, Cleverness Award and Honorable Mention.
In that very manner, the initial curiosity I had about the language gradually grew, evolving from just a long-term language course to a deep interest in South Korea's development as a nation. This thought, naturally, evolved to my desire in pursuing a major in International Relations, where I could explore the complexities of global interactions and contribute to fostering understanding and cooperation among different cultures and nations.
While on my first years on university, I was also making progress on Chinese language, I was selected for twice for national stages for the Global Chinese Bridge Competitions, in which I received honorable participation. In 2021, I was invited to join the four weeks program of Chinese Bridge Delegation at the Central University of Finance and Economics in Beijing, unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemics, the course was conducted online; upon its completion I was awarded a certificate of achievement for meritorious conclusion. Last year, I received a score of 280/300 from the Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK level 3) and an 82/100 score for the HSK Speaking test (HSKK).
Throughout my Bachelor's degree in International Relations, I had one course specifically about Asian region in which I was completely captivated by South Korea's remarkable transformation from a war-torn nation to a global cultural and educational powerhouse. My fascination with Korea's strategic use of Hallyu as soft power not only shaped my academic pursuits but also inspired me to explore comprehensively the dynamics of power itself in global politics. My undergraduate thesis, "South Korea: Hallyu as a Soft Power Instrument in Foreign Policy" not only allowed me to analyze the power perspectives on Korea's cultural influence on the global scenery, but also, ignited my ambition to further explore the interplay between culture, national identity and politics.
On my senior year, I had the honor to be selected by the Academy of Korean Studies to participate on the "34th AKS Summer Program for International Students". For three intensive weeks, this summer program aims to cultivate young leaders who can contribute to the development of Korean studies. It includes special lectures regarding Korea, intensive advanced Korean language courses, excursions, and traditional cultural activities. During the three weeks in Korea participating in the program, I had the opportunity to learn a lot of different aspects on South Korea's culture, history, language, and, not less important, politics. From that experience I realized that my sense of purpose in keeping my research goals having South Korea as an object of study couldn't be more correct.
Alongside my academic strides, in 2022, I was accepted for a position at a trade company from United States. Since then, my role as an international trade operations analyst in a multicultural international company has provided me with practical insights into global dynamics and cultural adaptation, complementing my academic background.
South Korea, home to several prestigious universities, offers an ideal environment for my academic growth-especially as I continue to focus on Korea as my object of study. Completing my Master's degree in South Korea would deepen my understanding of contemporary Korean political and cultural dynamics, while contributing to advancements in comparative political studies and fostering bilateral dialogue.
The Global Korea Scholarship Program represents more than just an exceptional educational opportunity to me; it embodies the value of hard work in achieving aspirations and making the most of every opportunity life presents. It also marks an important step in my journey to become a bridge for bilateral cooperation, both academically and within the global community, between Brazil and South Korea.
