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| Bradford City Centre |
월요일에 영국에 도착했다. 도착하고서 3일이 어떻게 지났는지 기억도 잘 안난다. 너무나도 낯선 환경에 다시 아기가 된 기분이다. 얼른 걸음마를 떼고 달려야겠다.
다시 초심으로 돌아가서, 이 학교에 오기 위해 썼던 SOP를 읽어보았다. 내가 쓴 글이 아닌 것 같은 기분이 들어 놀랐다. 다시 집중에서 내 관심분야로 돌아가야겠다.
University of Bradford - MA in African Peace and Conflict에 지원했던 SOP
During my year in Dar es Salaam, I felt that death keep wandering around me. This was especially true when thieves snatched my backpack, and I was left alone without anything in the downtown area at sunset. I felt immense fear. Luckily, friendly Tanzanians helped me to reach a Korean guest house. Afterward, I had witnessed car accidents of deaths three times and friends who lost everything because of robberies before leaving Tanzania.
After experiencing these events, I reconsidered the meaning of peace. For a long time, the Korean peninsula has been an object of academic interest in the field of international politics, peace and conflict studies. As a political science student, I am interested in peace building in the Korean peninsula. Perhaps surprisingly, the issues that Koreans assume really matter in their life are not actually North Korean issues. I realized that peace and conflict are an inevitable part of our daily lives. My experiences in Kenya and Tanzania expanded my thinking and my perspective on Africa. I developed an affinity for peace studies while staying in two metropolises of East Africa: Nairobi and Dar es Salaam. I was especially interested in peace in informal settlements. I feel that slum residents are living on the front lines of change and that their peace is continuously threatened due to current global challenges. I am sure that without peace in their daily lives, people cannot build long-term futures. In addition to my experiences outside of academia, I have research experience. I worked at Hanyang Peace Institute as a research assistant. The experience enhanced my understanding of peace studies and the research process. I assisted senior researchers in searching for data and setting up several colloquiums in the institute. The institute was established to research ‘Positive Peace’. This experience is certainly relevant to my future academic studies.
After I left Tanzania, I independently studied contemporary African issues. I developed a desire to academically research and analyse peace issues in East African cities in a comprehensive manner. I felt that the metropolises of Africa were like unknown jungles. The cities are expanding at a rapid pace, and the government authorities who handle informal settlement areas have reached their limit. The problem of ever-growing slum habitats worsened beyond expectation. Although I uncovered a number of interesting subjects, I felt that I needed additional studies to gain substantive meaning. I decided to study further at the University of Bradford, which has a strong tradition in peace studies as well as a course that specializes in Africa. I expect to deepen my understanding of the field and become a specialist in East African urban issues through an M.A. in African Peace and Conflict studies.
Upon completion of my post-graduate, I plan to pursue a career related to peace issues in urban areas of East Africa. I may work in the academic field as a journalist or an NGO activist. Regardless of what I choose, an M.A. in African Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Bradford would be a strong first step along my career path.