The purpose of the study was to investigate the experiences of first generation immigrant students from the Horn of Africa studying in the Denver Metro area colleges in Colorado. The theoretical framework underlying the study is critical pedagogy. The participants in the study were 10 first generation immigrant students from the countries in the Horn of Africa. This was a case study qualitative research designed to uncover the differences in the teaching and learning practices between two countries as perceived by the first generation immigrant students. The study also explored the motivation and determination of the first generation immigrant students to learn, the challenges and difficulties they encounter, and the coping mechanisms and strategies they use to succeed. The findings highlight that there are differences in the classroom teaching and learning mainly due to the availability or no availability of resources, and the consequent differences in the presentation of the learning material which encourages or discourages students' involvement. The findings also indicate that the first generation immigrant students encounter various problems in their college learning and use different mechanisms to cope up with the challenges and to succeed in their learning. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]