With grandparents originating from Hungary, I became interested in the Ottoman Empire from an early age, and at secondary school I wrote an extended project qualification (EPQ) on the Ottoman Campaign. With this interest in mind, I was recommended to study at SOAS, and I took an undergraduate degree in History and Religion. Before moving onto my Masters, I first did an internship with the Centre for Turkey Studies in London, and I am now immersed in an MA in Turkish Studies at SOAS. It has been an incredibly rewarding experience, and the variety of modules available covers a broad range of subjects from modern Turkish history to the international dynamics of the Caucasus. I feel that I have achieved more during the six months intensive Turkish language course than I would have done in six years anywhere else. I am hoping that I can move into a future career in international affairs, ideally something, which will allow me to make use of my knowledge of Turkey’s relationship with Europe and NATO. I have also managed to squeeze in learning some Farsi on the SOAS Language Entitlement Programme. Very useful when ordering from the menu at my local Afghan restaurant!