Americanah

At her college orientation, Ifemelu is spoken to condescendingly by a student worker and realizes that her foreign accent makes Americans think she doesn’t speak English. She begins to practice an American accent. Though her schoolwork is easy compared to that in Nigeria, she dislikes having to participate in class discussions. She decides to be a communications major, yet is baffled by the way Americans communicate—they avoid giving direct instructions and use phrases like “you’re all set” (165). She worries about money, borrowing textbooks from friends. Eager to understand the new world around her, Ifemelu begins to read American books and discusses them with Obinze. “And as she read, America’s mythologies began to take on meaning” (167). Slowly, she begins to incorporate American words into her speech, much to Obinze’s amusement.

During a class discussion on the use of racial slurs in the movies Roots, an African student debates with an American-born black student. The African student, Wambui, invites Ifemelu to a meeting with the African Students Association. Ifemelu makes friends, finds kinship in the students’ struggles, and is offered job hunting tips. Though she goes on more interviews, she still does not find a job.