"It's very hard. It's been hard for threeyears. It would be very hard for her to adjust,"said Misrak Assefa, owner of the Addis Red Sea, anEthiopian restaurant in Boston. "The first two orthree years is a very difficult time."
Tadesse often came to the Addis Red sea to eatwith friends, said Assefa, who has known Tadesse'suncles and aunt for more than 10 years. Assefasaid she last saw Tadesse six months ago at therestaurant.
Assefa said "most Ethiopians go to the U.S. togo to college" because of a lack of opportunitiesback home.
Tadesse "was a very nice person, verystudious," recalled a man who identified himselfas a maternal relative, but who refused to givehis name. "The couple of times I've seen her, sheseemed to say that she liked the school, that shewas not having any problems."
"I don't think she had any culture shock, therelative said. "I don't think she had any problemscommunicating with people, or with the food orwith the climate."
"These events cannot be explained in terms ofthe girl we knew," the relative added.