Motivation letter for bachelor at Leiden University

Hi everybody, first of all: thank you for what you do on this awesome website! I am applying for a wonderful bachelor program at Leiden University. It is really important for me to enter this program: I'm in love with it and it's the only one i'm applying to (I will consider other options, but first things first, right?). I know what I managed to write is not nearly decent. I tried to follow the schemes and suggestions for other motivation letters. Mine should be between 700 and 1500 words. Some big doubts are:
Should I talk more about my experience in China?
Is the register proper? Don't I sound too dramatic (expecially in the part concerning the year I came back from China?)
Can the fact that I haven't chosen a particular career yet be a disadvantage?

Some words may be typed together, I don't know why, but don't take it as a sign of little attention: the website does it when i copy-paste from the original word file and this is the fourth time I try to upload the letter.
thank you for your help!
here it is:

International Studies department, Leiden University,

The Hague, Netherlands

January 24, 2017



Dear Sir or Madam,

I amwriting to manifest my interest and motivation in entering the International Studies bachelor program starting in September 2017 in the Hague.

I am currently taking a gap year after finishing high school for foreign languages (English, German and French) in Milan, my native city.I want to studyat Leiden university because of its avant-guard educational system, its stimulating, rich environment and because I find every course -to say the least- engaging.

I have always been acurious kid, with a fascination for knowledge and travelling. Trying to be as independent as I could and proving my hard-working nature, at the age of fourteen I found and won an AFS scholarship to study in China for a school year. I have a passion for cultures: thus having the chance to experience "the middle kingdom" has been a great luck. There I had to develop and use all my adaptation and communication skills, and my resilience.

When I came back to Italy I had "left aside"many of my school's subjects for a whole year. I had to work hard. I set aims for my academic records and I worked my way to them despite the stressful situations and environment around me, despite the sickness and the loss of a dearest relative and the long process to cope with it. I studied night and day, managed projects for the school, remained constructive and to showed all my perseverance. I didn't always reach my aims:my flaws are often too big, my talents too limited. I eventually reached and went beyond my academic aims andI know that –as I always do- I have given everything I could. I am an ambitious person though, and I am only partly satisfied.

I am good at reasoning, thus I can easily deal with academic material, especially if related to humanities. Apart from English I have studied German and French. Part of my family comes from France andI have the luck to live with two native French speakers while I only started to appreciate the German language three years ago, when I learnt more about its rich literature and culture. I eventually lived both in Germany and in Austria, where I had my first working experiences. Not only I learnt to take big responsibilities and to work in the most organised way possible, but I have also surrounded myself with the most diverse, inspiring and positive people. In Vienna I took the C1 language certification in German.

I like sharing, especially in a productive perspective when it comes to ideas, opinions, knowledge. Thus I want to study in an international and open environment. Two friends of mine are already studying at Leiden University: they didn't know each other and I didn't know they were enrolled! I came to the Hague for the university's open-day and I stared daydreaming: in school I used to be different from most of my peers but there I was perfectly normal. I didn't have to explain myself. Some students told me what essays they were writing: I would have gladly researchedfor them. I knew this was the perfect place for my improvement when I read about he courses and the forefront way they are taught. Moreover, the idea of being allowed to assist to the trials and hearings at the International Criminal Court in the Hague is thrilling, as it is the multiculturalatmosphere of the city, with its many institutions.

Careers in journalism, international relations or academicresearch are the main options Iamconsidering. I want a job thatallows/allowing me to make the difference and I always aimed to a leading position.I want to elaborate and create projects, I wantto deal with problems in order to make a change. I wish not only to work using my mind but also in contact withdiverse people and their realities.

In conclusion I am confident the International Studies bachelor is the right choice for me and I hope to make a positive contribution to the university'soutstanding environment.

Thank you in advance for your consideration and time,

Vittoria