ABSTRACT
Maria and her husband, Luis, recently immigrated to the United States. They made that decision based on the existing economic and political conditions in Colombia and in response to the urging of other relatives who had already settled in northern New Jersey. Although the move was difficult, Maria and Luis found and rented an apartment in Elizabeth. Luis took a job in a local factory, and Maria decided to continue the university education she had begun in Colombia. Knowing little English and on a tight budget, her educational choices were limited. Thus, she enrolled in a local state university that offered English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction as well as a dual language/bilingual program.
