POSTVILLE - Rain, snow or shine, Alejandro Bustamante trudges through the streets of Postville every weekday with his wife and young daughter to attend school.

His course load: basic and advanced English classes four days a week, a computer class on Thursdays and a typing class on Fridays.

He can speak many phrases, but still prefers to converse in his native tongue.

"I like languages, and I like computers. I want to learn English more than anything," he said in Spanish.

After a lifetime of labor, he suddenly found himself with endless hours of free time after a May 12 immigration raid on Agriprocessors, the town's kosher meatpacking plant.

A native of Mexico, he spent eight years working 12-hour days. After his arrest, he spent six weeks in jail before he posted bond. Now he lives in Postville while awaiting a court date that is yet to be determined.

About 15 people voluntarily attend the Northeast Iowa Community College classes daily at the town's multicultural center.

"They ask for homework. It's kind of a different attitude from the high school setting. It's refreshing," said Amanda Klinkenberg of Waukon, a former high school Spanish teacher who leads the classes.

Last week they learned how to pronounce "th" sounds, which do not exist in Spanish.

Gathered around a table with practice booklets and yellow pencils out, the students practice the difference between the "th" sounds in the words "the" and "thanks."

Most of the students repeat the words in barely audible voices.

Besides living in a foreign land without much knowledge of English, Klinkenberg said her students still are reeling from the raid. Many did not see their spouses and children for months. Other families have yet to reunite.

Many still wear government-issued ankle bracelets that track their movements.

Klinkenberg said she often waves them in the door encouragingly when they hesitantly open the door before class.

"It's also a social experience, therapy. They don't talk about their personal lives. But we talk about Latin American soap operas," she said. "It's more of a relief and escape."

Elvira Esparza, 30, said she takes pride in how much she has learned since taking the classes.

Though she still can't speak English, she now understands basic phrases.

Esparza grew up only knowing full days of hard work. Now the drudgery of daily life usually consists of walking to the Catholic church for rental and food assistance a few times a month, charging her ankle bracelet daily, finishing household chores and caring for her children.

She does all this, she said, without knowing when the routine will end. Her court date has not been set.

"I like the classes a lot. It distracts us, and at the same time we learn English. We figured we should make the best of it," she said.

Contact Jens Manuel Krogstad at (319) 291-1580 or jens.krogstad@wcfcourier.com.