Hey honey, it has been a bit too long since I last
wrote. My apologies, but at least the
reason is a good one. We have been too
busy. The last six weeks has been such a whirlwind, and through it all you have
been up for whatever comes your/our way, very resilient in a period of dynamism
for the korol family.
We just got back from a fun weekend trip to Lalibela with a college buddy of mine. Lalibela is one of the tourist gems in Ethiopia with rock churches carved a millennium
ago in terrain that is akin to the southwest in the US. Before that, you and I spent
almost three weeks in the US, seeing family and friends. And before that your
Babas (my parents) were visiting for another almost three weeks. Add it all up and we have been either on the go or hosting
loved ones for over six weeks.
I was struck by a moment this weekend, as you took in the
sweeping views from our hotel in Lalibela.
Mom and I were settling into the hotel room and you went out on the veranda
to take in the view. And what a site,
with ridges extending for dozens of miles down a large river valley, raptors
swooping around our room and a big chunk of this bountiful world in front of
you. Your response to this splendor was
telling of your rapid emotional development over the last several months – as
the response was the same as your nearly forty year old old dad – “Look how it
is so pretty.” This appreciation of
beauty, which a few minutes later you correctly placed as in Africa, would not
have happen when we arrived in Addis Ababa in 2017, probably not even as 2017
turned to 2018. But your wonderful,
agile and active mind now processes beauty.
Which is a good thing because you have sure been to a lot of beautiful
places in the last almost year in Ethiopia and there are many more to come in
our remaining year here.
I saw your joy and delight in life so many times over our
trip to the US, which sadly left Muriel back in Addis while we gallivanted in
Salt Lake, North Carolina and Frankfurt.
Mu couldn’t get the time off for this long trip, which is
understandable. So it was a
daddy/daughter extravagance. I loved
everything about our trip together, even the epicly long travel. Because it was with you.
So about our US time, which was split between Salt Lake and
North Carolina.
Utah
We spent most of our time in Utah, with your dad catching
the tail end of the ski season and us getting to spend a ton of time with
friends and family. Being able to double
up like that is right in your dad’s wheelhouse.
We stayed with dear friends in Park City who have an adorable 4 months
old. This 'little sis' allowed you to really focus on your burgeoning nurturing
instincts --between your ‘little sis’ or
your stuffed animal babies and wanting to take care of them, I like your style.
We also got to see a ton of our family
who live throughout Utah Valley. Seeing
grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins is very special for a kiddo living
overseas.
For dad, the skiing was pretty good, mostly spring
conditions with a little of the re-freeze action happening on most days. So there was not a huge incentive to get to
the hill earlier. Once things softened
up on the mountain, then it was fun corn skiing. I was also able to get in some really nice
trail runs in the Wasatch range--it is kind of surprising how much I have come
to love that sport. One fun run was when
you strapped yourself in the jogging stroller and we hit the Round Valley
trails.
I was not the only one to strap on skis--we were able
to borrow some gear for you and hit the slopes together. This is the combination of two of my all time
favorite activities, and it is very cool how your ski skills have progressed
ski trip by ski trip. Sometimes I worry
that our life in places not at all like Utah, where skiing is impossible, will
make it hard for me to share the love your mom and I feel for the sport. But based on this trip, you are trending in
the right direction, as the idea of skiing appealing to you this trip. It helps to
take cool bubble gondolas and the amazing spring weather for scooting around on
the snow. The last ski day you had was
at the Olympic Park, which celebrates skiing and the 2002 Olympics: https://utaholympiclegacy.org/activity/museums-at-utah-olympic-park/.
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| Photo credit - Elle |
North Carolina
After almost two weeks in Park City we decamped for the
Triangle region of North Carolina where mom and dad met at Duke. We stayed with my buddy Kris and saw a ton of
Duke friends who were in town for their ten-year reunion. Another function of living overseas is that
you try to maximize seeing loved ones and we certainly achieved a very high
rate for our long weekend. The Triangle
is doing so well, with great food and drink options proliferating everywhere,
with some beloved standbys that have made it through the intervening decade
and in some cases improved.
On the way to the airport, we stopped in at the North
Carolina Art Museum for this amazing installation called “You Are Here” - http://ncartmuseum.org/exhibition/you_are_here_light_color_and_sound_experiences. This exhibit has a ton of immersive art
installations that break down the fourth wall and either explicitly includes
the viewer or engages the viewer in immersive environments. The one that has stuck in your dad’s mind the
longest is an infinity mirror rooms with a light show by Yayo Kusama called Light
of Life. This is a box hat has intricate
mirrors that create infinite iterations of the light show, the viewer and
whatever is inside the box. The infinity ‘room’ is super cool for me as an
adult and watching your amazement at this magical art creation, replicated to
infinity within the box, was incredible.
I love travel for these kinds of discoveries, and it was a great idea of
Kris’ to check out this exhibit on the way to the airport and the red eye to
Germany.
Now we are back home and will be here for several
weeks. Your precociousness gets more
delightful everyday and I am so looking forward to being together as a family
for the next several weeks.
Love you honey,
dad
