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Ethiopia by E-mail

Subject: Hi everyone from Addis
Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2007 00:23:32 -0400
From: Pat Rollin parollin9923@hotmail.com

We hope you all had a wonderful Easter and that spring is finally on its way. Jim is back from Michigan and is getting ready to start teaching at the Police College today.

He had a really nice visit with his family but for sad reasons. His Uncle Bill Philpot died the day he was to leave Addis so he arrived in time to attend the funeral. Then he spent time with both Tom and Shannon and my mom too. He had a job interview in Marquette Michigan at Northern Michigan University but we have no idea if he will be chosen. They had 3 people they interviewed and Jim was the last one to be interviewed. So they said the committee would have a meeting and they would be letting the candidates know in about 2 to 3 weeks. But we have decided that it is time to move back and stay in America so we will be coming back in July and August to stay with or without a job. This has been the 3rd year we have been gone and we would like to have a little family time and be with both of our mothers for a little while now. We are missing weddings this year in May so we would like to be home to attend important occasions with the family.

I stayed in Addis while Jim was gone and was closely watched. The students checked on me and I visited the school about twice a week while Jim was gone just to check and see what everyone was doing. Some of the IFESH people were in town for Easter so went to lunch and dinner a couple of times. Joetta and I went to Good Friday services at St. Matthews and they had a Taize service which I would like to learn more about. Charlla, the new professor from Ohio and Detroit, and I were together a lot and had a good time. I attended her church on Easter Sunday and last week. She goes to Beza International and it is an easy walk to get to by the airport. But we will be going back to St. Matthews because Jim is working with Father Michael on a program there.

Charlla and I went to Thomas & Tigist for Easter dinner and then to Trisha's for the evening. So I was not alone too much. I have started teaching at the preschool for 11 four to swix-year old students. It is hard because they don't understand my English and I don't understand their Amharic so we have a little problem with instructions but their teacher is there to help too. So we are doing ok. I only teach for about 1 hour so it is ok. I go on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. I think it is interesting. I will probably learn more Amharic than they will learn English.

When Jim came back, Rosemary Saari came with him to teach the Ph.D. students for the next two months. She is staying with us and we are having a good time. I am getting to show her all the best places to shop and we are going to visit some of the NGOs in the next few weeks. Of course, the students will be taking her to visit some places too. They like to show off their country. Nathan and Mel are hoping to get back in June and I think Donna is coming too. So it will be like old times here.

I am up listening to the chanting while Jim gets ready to go to the Police College. We had a birthday party for Jim on Sunday. We had our Ethiopian friends over and celebrated with Yorde, Abel, Thomas, Tigist, Yohana, Yonas and then our American friends, Rosemary and Charlla. He did not know about the party and was very happy. He worked on his birthday and had his Amharic lesson.

We will write again soon. Bye for now.

Love Pat & Jim

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