Ifemelu has always known leaving Nigeria to attend school in a different country changes people, she always despised the thought of herself changing when she goes to study abroad. It took Ifemelu a while to settle into the culture of America but it also took time for Ifemelu to get adjusted to Nigeria's way of life again when she returned.
Ifemelu always made attempts to not fall into the traditions she felt were against her culture. In the very beginning, she notes herself going to a hair salon to have her hair braided however when the stylist suggests relaxing Ifemelu's hair, she is disgusted by the thought and disappointed of other Nigerian immigrants who would ever do that to themselves. Ifemelu has never needed to have her hair relaxed in Nigeria; she did not plan to start now as she knew how damaging it is for her hair and she would not risk it. She did this as a form of protest for herself to not allow herself to change now that she is in a country that is considered better than Nigeria. Ifemelu does not want America to corrupt her.
America is very race-conscious. That was the very first thing Ifemelu realized. She was no longer seen as Nigerian, she was now considered "Black." Everything in America has to do with race however no one wants to bring up race. Kimberly a mother of a child Ifemelu once watched and noticed how Kimberly always referred to black people as "beautiful" Anyone who was black Kimberly always associated with the term "beautiful" until one day when Ifemelu had enough of it and confronted Kimberly telling her to just say "Black" not all black people are beautiful.
After living in America for some time now Ifemelu finally decided it was time for her to go back home and settle there. Ifemelu expected to settle without any issues however she soon realized she missed what America had. Customer service was filled with people who executed projects without putting in good work in Nigeria. Ifemelu hired a contractor to renovate her new home however when he finished and Ifemelu saw the work he had done, Ifemelu was livid. The tiles were cracked, and rough with gaps in between. Ifemelu confronted the contractor when he asked to be paid as he claimed the work he had done was to his satisfaction and complete. Ifemelu said "Do you know who I am? You don't know who I am, that is why you can do this kind of rubbish work for me" (Adichie P.487). Most Nigerians would expect this kind of execution in a project and would have let it go however Ifemelu didn't and even talked to him in a degrading manner by asking him if he knew who she was implying she is of status and rank. America changed Ifemelu, she's now what her friends refer to as "Amaricanah."
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