But an examination of the refugee community by the Deseret Morning News shows a population in various stages of struggle — and the state's support system laboring to handle challenges posed by the newest arrivals.

"The refugee movement has brought such a richness to our community," said Jan Broxton, math and science supervisor of the Salt Lake School District.

"Their learning curve is great," she said. "But ours is great, too."

As part of the "Refugees Reborn" series, reporters interviewed dozens of refugees from 21 countries. Some have been in Utah for years, others just weeks. Some were well-educated and prospering in their home countries. Others worked hard to scratch out an existence in the Third World.

They speak 40 languages, and their experiences are as unique as the languages they speak. Their challenges are as vast as the lands from which they come.

These interviews, which were the basis for the six-day series that begins today, unearthed the troubles refugees face learning English, getting jobs, finding decent housing and adjusting to American culture.

In case after case, families said they are buried under responsibility and red tape.

"Life here is very different," said Martin BuBa, a 27-year-old refugee from southern Sudan. "It's very confusing, and it's very complicated."

In addition to struggling to meet practical needs like food and shelter, refugees often carry deep-seated emotional baggage from witnessing or being the victims of violence and torture. Post-traumatic stress syndrome, anxiety and depression are common among these new Utahns.

Refugees are not immigrants. They are not illegal aliens. They are men, women and children forced from their homes because of their religion, politics, social group, nationality or race.

Nearly 80 percent are women and children. All come with the blessing and the approval of the U.S. State Department and the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

They are the Southeast Asians who fought alongside American forces in the Vietnam War.

They are dissidents from the former Soviet Union.

They are Cubans who fled dictators and made their way to American soil.

They are Iranians harassed for practicing their religion.

They are the Bosnians, Croatians and Kosovars who escaped "ethnic cleansing" efforts in the former Yugoslavia.

And increasingly, they are Africans who've lived for years in refugee camps across the borders from dictators and the plague of civil war in their home countries.