Colombian Immigrant's Turning Point: Ditching South Florida

Today's local section of The New York Times tells the story of Blanca Bohorquez, who emigrated from Bogota with friends and family two years ago, settling in Coral Springs, where she hoped to learn English.

In Coral Springs, the family found a house to share, Ms. Bohorquez a job at a jewelry factory. But in two years' time, she had picked up only a minimal amount of the new language.

We have jewelry factories here? Anyway, the immigrant's life in South Florida was apparently so intolerable Bohorquez considered a bold new direction.

So in June she moved, alone, to New York, where she could rely on public transportation and, she hoped, more services for immigrants who wished to learn English.

Ah, yes. Public transportation. Amazing what a difference that makes. With all the practice South Florida has when it comes to dealing with immigrants, it's a shame that someone like Bohorquez had to get out of here to get ahead.