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Abdi Nor Iftin was 6 when civil war broke out in Somalia, his home country. Violence and uncertainty have become constant in her life. Another constant was Mr. Iftin's obsession with American culture. He learned English by repeatedly watching action movies like "Rambo" and "Commando". He finally challenged the chance to win the diversity visa lottery, which admits immigrants to the United States from countries that do not send a lot of people here. It's a program that President Trump wants to end. In "Call Me American", Mr. Iftin details his heartbreaking childhood in Somalia, his escape to Kenya and his final move to America. He now lives in Portland, ME, where he works as a translator for other Somali immigrants. Below, he talks about the trauma of reviewing his memories, how his book – and his thoughts on the United States – changed after Trump's election and more.
When did you have the idea to write this book? I realized that my story was attracting a lot of interest from the media after I won the green card lottery of the United States while I was still in Kenya. But the idea of making it a real book came after an interview I did with "This American Life" in 2015, a few months after I arrived in the United States. When it was broadcast, people were so touched and wanted to know more.
I was excited for several reasons. I realized that I was in America, a country that has so many bookstores, so many libraries and people who want to read books and stories, especially unpublished stories. People have not heard much about life in Somalia apart from TV and movies like "Black Hawk Down" and "Captain Phillips".
What did you learn most amazing about writing it? It was really, really difficult. Even though I was in Maine when I started writing the book in 2015, it was difficult to go to bed at night after talking with my mother for the book. She was the last person with whom I spoke every night, realizing that she still lives in the same street in Mogadishu where I was almost killed many times when I was there. child and where I was almost recruited by Islamists in adolescence. I called my family when I wanted to ask a question, and sometimes it was so difficult because we could not get along because of the raining bullets. And we would wait an hour to try again. And this time for me felt like a year.
I would take a week off. I would not be able to drive a car because my whole body was shaking. At one point, writing the book brought me back to those specific days, to specific memories. But I would like to go to the gym or run or do something to take those memories away.
I had a very good memory of the things I wanted to write because in Somalia every day is an eventful day. I remember that when mom and I were sitting on the grave at night, we would wake up and see the freshly buried bodies coming out. How can you never remember those memories? But the days I wrote about being 5 or 6 years old, I had to rely on her vivid memories to help me describe these days.
How is the book you wrote different from the book you wrote?
I started as a book of love and respect for America, because I hope to live in peace, prosperity and freedom in the United States United. But I never thought I would finish my book with this American president. I saw America completely differently at the time, compared to today. When Trump became president, my book was not out yet. I felt that the current American administration had betrayed the American dream by banning Somalis and Muslims from coming to this country. I added something about the election, my frustration and my anger about what happened on November 8, 2016. I woke up the next day and I was looking through the window and I said that I could not enter because I was scared people would come to deport us. I have a green card, but I did not know what it would mean under President Trump.
Most chapters in my book speak to a basic human desire for survival. There is nothing I can change about this, because that is my story. But I changed my perception of America a bit after the elections. I have not been here long enough to understand the division in this country. But when Trump arrived, I saw him. I do not sleep at night feeling 100% safe as before the ban
Who is a creative person (not a writer) who influenced you and your job?
Arnold Schwarzenegger. He has greatly influenced my life in many ways. I was 7 years old when I started to see his face, and I wanted to be like him. I did not realize that he was an immigrant until later, when I learned English and started to understand how the world works. He became the governor of my favorite state, California. It was the first state I knew, the beautiful beaches there. I did not see him in person, unfortunately. I continue to hope that my book tour will take me there; I'm talking to my publishers.
Being an author makes me proud. This is an actor, and I am an author. This is fine.
Persuade someone to read "Call Me American" in 50 words or less
This is a timely book, especially in the current political climate. Against all the stories of the White House and the President, this book shows the determination and the risks that I took as a refugee to come live in peace, to work hard and, above all, to become an American.
This interview was condensed and edited
Follow John Williams on Twitter: @johnwilliamsnyt .
Call Me American
A Memory
By Abdi Nor Iftin
310 pages. Alfred A. Knopf. $ 26.95.
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