Generally regarded as those born between 1981 and 1994, the millennial generation bridges the gap between the final baby boomers and the birth of the 2000’s. These individuals belong to a special time where the building social and environmental effects of the 1900’s began to spearhead. This generation is likely to hold strong values yet a broken view of the world as they saw the aftermath of earlier generations decisions that lead to our current situation.
Millennials will be parenting the next generation of North Americans and it is up to them to instill the core beliefs that effected them so strongly. Divorce rates, species genocide, racial injustices, and sexual equality are all at the front of the millennial’s psyche. Influence of social media and vast leaps forward in technology have forced the millennial to constantly adapt to their surroundings. The Millennial’s responisbility is to raise a generation that uses these outlets as tools, rather than to be used by them.
While many Millennial’s followed a traditional path set by the previous generation: get a degree, get a job, and get married, there is a startling amount of Millennials now aged 25 to 35 who have rejected this path.
This group of individuals watched as their families struggled to support themselves or broke apart under the stress of the US lifestyle. This group saw that even those with social success and wealth were still largely unhappy. They watched as midlife crisis’ caused irresponsible use of wealth, and lack of foresight saw the continued induction of lackluster politicians.
And those that wished to stay on the traditional path may very well have been bucked off by the 2008 recession. Many lost jobs and many more saw retired parents lose their safety net.
Now as part of the last group of Millennial’s, one young man attempts to make sense of it all through a generational lens fueled by a drive to find meaning. This search for meaning leads him to the Panamanian jungles, and to the Indigenous Ngabe peoples.
Shared here are the experiences and perspectives of a Peace Corps Volunteer and native Texan with the hopes to develop reader perspective. The dreams of the poor are the same as the rich: family, safety, and love.
Open yourself to understanding that all peoples share the same struggles and quickly find there is far more that unites us than divides us.
Indigenous Support - Panama 