UMich Press 1: Flor's Journey to Independence

Flor's Journey to Independence begins as Flor and her four-year-old daughter, Betina, are unexpectedly abandoned by Flor's husband, Ricardo. Flor is suddenly faced with paying the bills and caring for Betina on her own, as she struggles without speaking much English. Still, Flor's determination gets her through the hard times, and once she enrolls in an English class for adults and begins working, she finds that her new life brings her new friends and opportunities.

Flor's Journey to Independence discusses problems with Marital Status (N-400 Part 8 & Part 10:22d) and Child Support (N-400 Part 10:22g) and issues with finding Housing (N-400 Part 4 & Part 6:A) and keeping a Job (N-400 Part 6:B).

My students love to read and discuss these stories! The students were especially sympathetic to Flor's problems finding good childcare.

Read the modified Chapter 1 pdf and the other chapters, order the book from Amazon.com, or borrow it from your local library.

The MICHIGAN Stories for Newcomers are original fiction written for adult English learners who wish to improve their reading and English skills. These stories allow adults to read about the experiences of new speakers of English and learn about life in the United States. A modified, simpler and shorter, version of the story is provided on the website. My students love to read and discuss these stories!