Day 7: Living a Legacy (Erin)

"Legacy; What is a legacy? It's planting seeds in a garden you never get to see." 

-Lin Manuel Miranda

In the way that I am obsessed with the musical Hamilton, Alexander Hamilton was obsessed with his legacy, and what he will leave behind. Day seven was filled with the concept of leaving behind a legacy for others. A moment in time seeing the work put forth towards the future.

In the morning we went to Tumul K'in Center of Learning. Tumul K'in translates to "A New Day" and it's foundation was built on teaching students Mayan values. The Mayan community saw a generational gap between the young, and old. They decided that they didn't want to leave behind their Mayan heritage and their legacy. In turn, the learning center was built. Students came to the center for high school, and along with regular classes, students learned the local Mayan languages and traditions. It was an amazing experience to see students so young living out the legacy their ancestors left before them.

Later in the day, we had a discussion with Mayan farmers. The question of "What do you see for the future of your farm?" was posed. The farmers explained that farming had been a part of their culture for generations. They had hoped that their children might some day take over. I saw a connection to farming in the United States. There's an increasing disconnect between the farmer and the consumer. People everyday are leaving the farm to explore other opportunities. It's a reminder that all of us, Alexander Hamilton, Mayan farmers, my classmates, myself, and everyone out there, has no idea what their legacy will be. We just need to keep working towards leaving behind something positive.

Erin Langdale is a sophomore studying Agricultural and Extension Education at The Pennsylvania State University.