Over the past quarter of a century, the first glimpse of a new life in Buffalo for many of

3,300 refugees arriving here came at Buffalo Niagara International Airport.

And it began just like that last month for another refugee family.

A family of five Burmese refugees arriving late the night of June 8 was greeted by

representatives of Journey's End Refugee Services, the organization responsible for their move

to a new country.

In the airport arrival hall, caseworker Myo Thant greeted them. "These people, they are

here to help you," said Myo Thant, gesturing to the Journey's End representatives.

Journey's End has been bringing refugees to Buffalo since 1985, helping them through the

long process of starting a new life in America.

Things were much simpler then for the organization, which had a goal of resettling 40

refugees each year.

Today, the organization resettles about 40 refugees per month, and the path to starting a

new life is longer and more complex.

Shortly after they arrived, members of the Burmese family — led by the father, Lay

Ktray Htoo — went through housing orientation at their new quarters, an apartment on

Niagara Street. Though the orientation lasts only 15 minutes, the family learns some of the

most crucial points about life in America, Myo Thant said.

Throughout the apartment, handwritten labels in their native Karen language are posted on

household items to explain their use. They learn how to flush the toilet, light the gas range

and turn on the lights in the bedrooms.

Safety is Myo Thant's biggest concern. In a new neighborhood, refugees have gotten

themselves in trouble. Fights start with locals, sometimes over nothing more than the wrong

colored shirt.

Keep the door locked, Myo Thant advised family members, then promised another set of keys.

"In my experience, refugees don't know when to be afraid," Myo Thant said earlier. "Even if

you are in a dangerous situation, you don't even know to be scared anyway."

In succeeding weeks, this family — like all Journey's End's refugees — will

face perhaps their biggest hurdle — learning English.

Until 2007, Journey's End had little to do with the refugees' education. Adults attended

night classes, and a volunteer made sure the children registered for school.

But today, Journey's End education coordinator Donna Pepero and her staff of four academic

coaches run the Refugee School Impact Program in the Buffalo Public school system.

The main job for Pepero and the coaches is to be in the classrooms and in the resource

rooms. The coaches teach in the native languages, and the children learn English from their

classroom teacher and their peers.

Most of the parents still attend night school. But with the move into roomier headquarters

in July, Journey's End hopes to hire a teacher for adult-level English classes in two new

classrooms.

Children learn English in about a year. For adults, the learning is tougher, with some

never becoming fully fluent.

And without English, the refugees will struggle to find a good job.

The agency's role in job hunting has expanded, too, since the early years — where the

process for many refugees ended when they signed up for eight months of welfare.

Today Meghann Rumpf, refugee services coordinator, works to connect refugees with potential

employers. Many end up taking jobs as busboys, dishwashers or hotel maids.

Some have luck finding a job. For some, it takes as long as three months or three years.

Many simply lack the skills they need for the job market.

For Lay Ktray Htoo and his family, life is simple.

On Sundays they go to church with 60 other Burmese refugees. Sometimes they just sit

together in their living room, glad to have left the small bamboo hut in the refugee camp

behind.

For now, Lay Ktray Htoo's goals are simple, too.

"I'm going to go to school, and if I find a job, I will go to work," he said.