My passion for French and Spanish stems from my love of literature and my desire to understand the cultures of other nations. While visiting Paris during an exchange programme, I learnt about the close relationship between art and politics in France and when I returned I watched Dr Richard Clay's BBC4 documentary "Tearing Up History" on the subject of iconoclasm in the Great French Revolution. This period of history is of great interest to me as its influence on political thought can be seen throughout Europe and the world. I found Sartre's existentialist play "Les Mains Sales" interesting as it explores personal freedom as opposed to the political freedom for which the French revolutionaries fought. I attended a Sutton Trust Summer School at a Russell Group university in 2014, during which I studied the movie "Intouchables" and had the opportunity to discuss the origins and impact of poverty in modern France. I also learnt about informal, spoken French, an area developed through my later study of French argot and verlan. Watching the French music programme "Acoustic" has improved my French listening skills and also introduced me to the music of Jacques Brel, whose life and music I chose to study for my AS level oral presentation.
In preparation for my A2 Spanish studies, I attended a film workshop at Queen's University Belfast on Zambrano's "Solas". This gave me an opportunity to discuss aspects of post- Franco Spanish society such as the marginalisation of women and the alienation of elderly people. I am particularly interested in the role of religion in South and Central America and religious syncretism in this part of the world, for example the veneration of folk saints such as Nuestra Señora de la Santa Muerte and Eva Perón. Reading the poems of Pablo Neruda has helped me to understand the link between literature and politics in the Hispanophone world. For my AS Spanish oral presentation I studied Neruda's life in exile and the film "Il Postino", gaining a greater understanding of the international impact of Neruda's work. "España en el corazón" was the collection of poems in which Neruda criticised the brutality of the Spanish Civil War, highlighting the close political relationship between Spain and South America. The movies of Pedro Almodóvar and the music of Pablo Alborán have provided me with a more relevant cultural knowledge of Spain and while in Zaragoza during a Spanish exchange programme, I learnt about Spanish gitano music and flamenco dancing. In Year 13 I participated in a student shadowing scheme at a Russell Group university, gaining an insight into the challenges of university life. This allowed me to experience the way languages are taught at university level and increased my desire to continue studying Spanish.
I am a member of my school’s Senior Debating Society committee and took part in the society's first debate of the year on Scottish independence. I have also written articles for the School Magazine and in Year 13 I completed a short course in Japanese. In preparation for my Grade 7 examination in Music Theatre, in which I attained a distinction, I studied songs by Jacques Brel and Édith Piaf, which was a valuable opportunity to enhance my understanding not only of the literal meanings of the songs but also the feelings which they are intended to inspire. In 2013 I received the Award for Outstanding Achievement at GCSE and in Year 13 I came first in my year in AS French, achieving 96% in this examination. The skills I have gained and developed through my participation in academic and extra-curricular activities make me a worthy candidate for the study of French and Spanish at a university level, and I look forward with anticipation to the opportunity to study these subjects in greater depth.
Universities Applied to:
- Univeristy of Oxford (French/Spanish) - Offer (AAA) Firm
- University of Southampton (French/ Spanish with integrated MA) - Offer (AAA)
- University of Exeter (French/Spanish) - Offer (AAB) Insurance
- Durham University (French/Spanish) - Offer (AAA)
- Queen's University Belfast (French/Spanish) - Offer (BBB)
Grades Achieved:
- French(A2) - A*
- Spanish(A2) - A
- English Literature(A2) - A*
