Alicante (Spain)

19th October, 2010

Dear Sir or Madam,

I hereby apply for entrance for the Data Communication Server

International Semester at the Turku University of Applied Sciences in
January 2011.

First of all, I would like to give some background information about

my life and studies so far. I was born in Manizales, a small city in
Colombia and when I was twelve years old, we moved to Alicante
(Spain) which is my current city of residence. I have been interested
in languages and cultures since I was a child, and the fact that most
of my family live abroad has been an incentive.

Regarding studies, I am currently doing my third year in Information

Technology at the University of Alicante and I am also finishing my
studies at the José Tomás Music School of Alicante, where I have
been studying piano for the last ten years.

When I was in high school, the language department organized an

exchange with another school from Lanciano, a very small town in
Italy, in which I took part. This experience made me think about the
possibility of studying abroad, and since participating in the Erasmus
program has been the first option I have had since then, I had no
doubt about applying for it, as it is not only a good opportunity to
improve my studies, but also to know new places, languages and
above all, people from different cultures.

I personally believe that studying in Turku will be a fulfilling

experience, due to the fact that Finland is known for its advanced
Technology Industry, for its high quality education and also for an
enviable quality of life. On the other hand, I have always wanted to
live in a Nordic country, so Turku should be a good place to carry this
plan out. I also chose Turku because it will be the European Culture
Capital in 2011, and I am sure I will make the most out of it. I think I
will totally fit into your tradition, culture and lifestyle.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Óscar Santiago García Saldarriaga