Call Me American: A Memoir
SynopsisPlot
Abdi Nor Iftin first fell in love with America from afar. As a child, he learned English by listening to American pop and watching action films starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. When U.S. marines landed in Mogadishu to take on the warlords, Abdi cheered the arrival of these Americans, who seemed as heroic as those of the movies. Sporting American clothes and dance moves, he became known around Mogadishu as Abdi American, but when the radical Islamist group al-Shabaab rose to power in 2006, it became dangerous to celebrate Western culture. Desperate to make a living, Abdi used his language skills to post secret dispatches, which found an audience of worldwide listeners. Eventually, though, Abdi was forced to flee to Kenya. In an amazing stroke of luck, Abdi won entrance to the U.S. in the annual visa lottery, though his route to America did not come easily.
Story
About this book
Abdi Nor Iftin grew up in Mogadishu, Somalia, where he taught himself English as a child by listening to American pop music and watching Hollywood action films. He adopted American fashion and dance styles, earning the nickname Abdi American among people in his neighborhood. His fascination with the United States deepened when U.S. marines arrived in Mogadishu during the conflict with local warlords, figures who reminded him of the characters he had seen on screen.
When the Islamist group al-Shabaab gained control in 2006, public displays of Western culture became a serious risk. Iftin found a way to use his English skills by recording and sending audio dispatches about daily life in Somalia, reaching listeners around the world through outlets including NPR. As conditions worsened, he eventually fled to Kenya as a refugee.
From Kenya, Iftin entered the U.S. diversity visa lottery and won a place, though his path from Nairobi to the United States involved further obstacles before he could travel. The memoir traces his life from childhood in a war-affected city through his years as a refugee and his eventual arrival in Maine, where he settled and began pursuing citizenship.
