Moyer explained that massive protests, like this one described, took place regularly in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Only a week into class, as Moyer frantically adjusted to graduate-level social science coursework taught in Spanish, she overheard her classmates discussing the up-coming “hulgas,” or protests. While this specific protest addressed the poor conditions of the university’s social science buildings, others ranged from “los desaparecidos” (the tens of thousands kidnapped by Argentina’s right-wing regime in the 1970s and 1980s) to social justice issues of unemployment, poverty alleviation, and immigration.
When Emily Moyer first announced her decision to study in Argentina for an entire year, those that knew her weren’t surprised. Wisconsin Senior Emily Moyer was destined to explore the road less travelled, to expand her life to new horizons, and to tackle exotic adventures and the Latin lovers that come with them.
An active student on campus, Moyer joined Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority her freshman year and, as a second semester sophomore, she stepped up to a leadership role for the entire Greek community as VP Public Relations for the UW-Madison Panhellenic Association. On the board, she not only fulfilled her administrative and communications duties, but she also used her position to spearhead “Greeks Go Green,” UW-Madison’s first environmental justice-themed Greek Week.
Returning to campus, Moyer hasn’t skipped a beat. While interning at United States Senator Herb Kohl’s Office (Wisconsin’s senior Democratic Senator and the wealthiest Senator in Congress), Moyer also finds time to volunteer. She not only tutors conversational English with a student from Taiwan, but also serves with Schools of Hope, a selective volunteer program through the Morgridge Center for Public Service in the Madison Public School District.
From developing a Fulbright Grant Proposal to applying for Teach For America, Moyer is busy exploring her options upon her Spring 2010 graduation. “I’m not sure exactly where I’ll be this time next year,” smiled Moyer. “But I know for certain that I will pursue a career in international development.”
With those ambitious career goals in mind, her year-long immersion into the developing world undoubtedly enriched her potential. The University of Buenos Aires, the best of four Argentine universities and the most prestigious in Latin America, publically educates over 300,000 students. The university’s graduates include legends like Che Guevara (the Communist revolutionary icon) and Luis Moreno-Ocampo (the International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor), and its faculty includes Noble Prize winners in a range of disciplines. All courses were taught in Spanish in bloc-format, with 1 class for 3 hours once a week. Moyer described her campus as thriving with activism in one of the world’s most dynamic and historical cities. “It was chaotic, lively, frustrating, fascinating… I absolutely loved it,” she reflected.
But, just as every study abroad student’s life goes, her richest experiences were gained from outside the classroom, experiencing the foreign world of South America. From taking over Buenos Aires to exploring the Inca Trail, Moyer left her mark on her beloved Argentina. Click on the location to hear her incredible stories, hilarious tales, and powerful insights from a young student just like you. If you’re a young woman interested in taking the road less travelled, feel free to contact Emily at emoyer@wisc.edu.
