My Motivation to Get a Scholarship in Thailand

Growing up in a broken family in a small farming town in southern Italy where the current unemployment rate is still elevated and higher education is not considered a necessity, has influenced my life in many ways. I had to deal with unemployment, social isolation, anxiety, and depression for many years, but this has not stopped me from keeping my passion for learning alive.

I have always wanted to study abroad, and I dreamed of studying performing arts for most of my twenties. Aware that my financial means were insufficient for that purpose, I moved to London and I obtained a position as a sweeper. There, I started to learn English and I earned a decent salary. Many of my colleagues were people from other countries and some of them were refugees. Back home, I experienced a reverse culture shock, and that made me feel like a foreigner in my home country. In a city near my hometown, I learned massage therapy. At that time, I wanted to live and work in Australia, but I could not make it. For a few years, I worked part-time as a massage therapist for some hotels in Italy, but the money I saved was not enough to start my own business. Unfortunately, Italy has not recovered from the financial crisis, and its sky-high tax rates and welfare systems combined with its budget deficit and regulations are contributing to making it a difficult country to live in.

Fifteen years ago, I decided to visit Thailand and I fell in love with it. After one year of staying in this country, I finished my savings. Luckily, I was often hired part-time and full-time for different types of jobs, but all the promises about providing me with documents to apply for a work permit never materialized. In 2011, I married my Thai wife. In 2016, I left Thailand and I came back to the country last year, after three years of studying acting in Rome. While I was there, I have discovered my passion for event management, and I have decided to study at this university. My plan is to complete my undergraduate degree at Stamford and pursue a career as an event organizer in the corporate and nonprofit sector, in Thailand. I am currently discussing with a Thai theatre group on the possibility of creating theatre for social change workshops in English, in Bangkok. I am convinced that education can be a powerful tool for individual and social change, and I intend to connect my passions with my desire to help others.

Presently, my focus is on studying, not only to create a brighter future for myself, but also for my family. As a foreign student, I am not allowed to work in Thailand. My only income is based solely on renting out my home in Italy. I am thankful to be considered for this scholarship, and should I be selected, I will use it to continue my education.