Under headings such as finances, child care, cultural challenges, location, racism, teachers, and accents, 30 immigrant women speaking either Mandarin, Cantonese, Punjabi, or Urdu told their stories of arriving in Canada without English, and the obstacles they faced in trying to acquire English. While differing in their goals for learning English, they had a unanimous desire to become fluent in English. The women, who were interviewed in their first language, discussed the impact of a lack of English on their lives, including their health, family responsibilities, education, and ability to integrate into their new country. They were very specific in identifying what could help them overcome the obstacles they faced, and in their recommendations for policy-makers and service providers. (Contains 4 notes.)