Help with a Motivation letter?

Hello dear people,
I'm applying for an exchange student program, and it would be of immense assistance to me if some of you wonderful experts can proofread my Motivation letter, as English is far from being my native language.

In brackets are specific disagreements I had with a friend of mine as to what the correct or better term should be.

Motivational Letter
Dear members of the Selection Committee,
My name is Lemuel Cushing, I am a B.A. student reading History and Sociology/Anthropology at Tel-Aviv University. There is a plethora (or plenum?) of reasons for my applying to this program, as I imagine is true for most of the applicants, and I shall name but a few:
First, it seems to me that the opportunity of spending a semester abroad, studying at a prestigious university, and with a (hefty?) scholarship allowing me to devote myself solely to studying, is a chance to bring myself one step closer to fulfilling my long held dream of devoting my life to the pursuit of knowledge.
Secondly, if my time at TAU has taught me anything (and it has taught me a quite a lot), it is of the immense importance of straying away from you 'comfort zone', if you will.
I grew up in a very small village of about 60 families in southern Israel, there I spent most of my youth. When not in school I was working on the family farm, and rarely did I travel far. When I moved to Tel-Aviv for my studies, I felt the incredible shock of what was for me "the big city".
Now, a few years on, I can only look back in amazement as to how much this experience has bettered me. On the other hand, I feel as if my background has given me a different and unique perspective, somewhat of an edge, you might say (in comparison to my natively urban peers[?]). Thus, I can only speculate as to what a semester abroad may contribute to my personal development – as a burgeoning academic and as a human being.
Furthermore, one mustn't forget that in Israel, most of the foreign culture one is exposed to is predominantly Anglo-American, and even though I personally have 'consumed' a fair share of French literature and cinema, as well as philosophy and sociology, being immersed in a culture which is neither Israeli nor Anglo-American will only strengthen the aforementioned effects.
To put it another way, I see great importance in developing cross-cultural skills and global perspective, especially in an increasingly multicultural world in which international understanding is essential, not to mention it's seminal importance to a budding sociologist, to an Israeli, and even more so, to someone who plans to go back and work within the disadvantaged community in which I came from. (I am an avid believer in academic activism.)
Lastly, I am currently learning French, and the advantages of a semester in France to that pursuit are obvious.
Thank you for taking the time to consider my application and for making this amazing opportunity even possible.
Sincerely
ect'

Many thanks,
Lemuel