I took my first trip to Greece the year I graduated from college. A family friend… world travelers themselves... gave me the trip as a graduation present. Their hope for me was to learn some more about my heritage… my Greek family. This was my first visit to the village of Arfara… the first of four trips to visit my Great Aunts and my extended family. Over the years I have been struck by the love and acceptance I felt with my family there. Despite the boundaries of language, culture and age, I found a deep connection with my Aunts. My third trip to Arfara was in 2004… a three week trip to visit my Aunts and travel the countryside by car with my husband Jason. It was on that trip that we decided to adopt a child and it was also the summer our future son was born in Russia. This was also the last trip we would actually see my Aunts. In the years since, we have lost my Aunts Irene, Theodora, Martha and Voula. We were heartbroken with each phone call. Each of my Aunts lived beautiful meaningful lives well into their late 80’s and 90’s. Our last trip was in January of this year to bury my Aunt Voula. I needed to be there as she had been there for each of her sisters, but we were two days late to tell her we loved her in person. It had been one of my dreams to spend a summer with my Aunts and to bring my son Kolya to bask in their love as well. Instead, we will live in my Aunts’ house this summer… the house where each of them was born and where their brother, my Papou (grandfather) was also born and lived until he immigrated to the U.S. at the age of 17. It is a house full of the memories of their experiences, our visits with them and the things that they created with their hands. I’m honored to have this opportunity.
XOXO
Karen June
Me, Voula, Theodora & Irene - Arfara 2004 (Martha was in the hospital during this visit)
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