In her novel Americanah, Adichie talks about various difficulties faced by immigrants in the United States. Ifemelu is a young Nigerian woman who tells her story about race, love and identity. She tells us that race is something she was not aware of in her native country. People didn’t identify themselves as Africans where she came from. In fact, no one paid attention to the color of his or her skin. However, when she moves to America, the melting pot of all cultures, she is forced to consider the differences that set her apart. The color of her skin, the texture of her hair, the way she thinks and the way she behaves around others are all different from the social norm.  She realizes that she comes from a different background and that it is only right to embrace her true identity when adjusting to a different way of life. I found the particular instance with her nephew telling her that oranges did not have seeds to be both entertaining and familiar. As a young child, my sister used to think the same thing and often my family would remark on how very American of her it was to think that oranges did not have seeds. It is interesting to see that different backgrounds influence different mindsets and that sometimes, doing something the “American” way is not always a good thing. I found Adichie’s novel to be very helpful in forming my opinions about what it means to be American and come from a different background. Ifemelu’s story tells us that though we may find ourselves living a new way of life, it is always important to hold on to our roots and never lose sight of where we come from. This will ultimately help us to adjust to new places and new people.