Anthropology Personal Statement Example 11

This summer, I travelled alone to South Africa to work at a vervet monkey sanctuary. This experience was extremely eye opening which encouraged me to write a blog, relating to the huge racial divide in South Africa and most specifically at the sanctuary. Completing my volunteering experience in South Africa this summer has enabled me to experience a vast cultural and diverse world which I would not be able to experience here in the UK. This opportunity nurtured my fascination and passion for the human psyche. It was a life-changing experience which I can capitalise on when I study Anthropology at degree level.

Long before discovering and understanding the discipline of anthropology, I have had an extensive interest in cultural differences and similarities. Through my travel experiences I have immersed myself into different cultural experiences and this urged me to question the human existence and what this means in relation to our values in society. What actually does it mean to be human? And why are cultures so widely diverse? To me, anthropology is a cosmopolitan social science which offers an influential and exclusive outlook and understanding of how politics forms the bedrock of society in today’s culture. Through recently reading Small Places, Large Issues my enthusiasm for Anthropology has been elevated. This text has broadened my mind to anthropological ideas about ethnicity, politics, and gender to name a few.

Anthropology is such a relevant subject for me to study and will allow me to fulfil my career ambitions to work in human rights for refugees and immigrants. This ambition is deeply rooted from experiences in developing countries, such as Mexico in which children are lacking in essential items such as clothing, and in South Africa where the prevalent race divide has resulted in the unjustified asperity of so many human beings. Throughout my GCSE's, which I sat in renal failure, I excelled in my Religious Studies lessons. My target grade was a C, however through my dedication to the subject I achieved an A* with full marks. Since then, I have been studying religious studies at A-level, this has furthered my knowledge regarding different cultures and beliefs which I think really relates to the discipline of anthropology.

Outside of college, I am a Menswear Sales Consultant at Next. I take pride in offering great, friendly, and professional customer service. Through my job as a sales consultant, I am able to engage with a number of people and their stories, which fits in with my fascination of humans. My biggest and most favourite hobby is travel. I enjoy the thrilling escape from our English culture, as I love experiencing different ways of life, which has opened my eyes, allowing me to view the wider picture of societal issues which are often unseen. Through travelling I feel as though I am learning outside of the classroom, by acknowledging different countries political role of culture it enables me to conduct further research into such contemporary issues.

I was diagnosed at 18 months of age with Cystinosis, a rare genetic disorder which has led to many operations and hospital appointments. During my A-Level studies at John Leggott College, I have taken a lot of time off due to being in renal failure, and eventually needing a kidney transplant. After this major operation, I remained in isolation for three months, thus being deprived of many hours of valuable education. Despite still having chronic anaemia and constant medical appointments, my determination and focus has not waned. Although I hope you take this into consideration when looking at my grades in August. However, I believe this only reinforces my strength and resilience to study at degree level.