From My Lips to Your Ears

An Immigrant’S Advice on Navigating Life in the United States

You are preparing to come to the United States. You have never been to the United States before. You have no idea what to expect. All you know is what you have heard from people who might or might not have been to the States, what you have heard in the media, or what you have seen in movies. You are excited, anxious, and/or overwhelmed. America is the land of opportunities; you are certain about that. , But you do not know how you will transition into the country and understand the culture. You recently moved to the United States and are still not sure what you need to do to settle into the community. You are beginning to see that there are things you would like to understand or learn that will ease your transition. You have a family member or friend that is coming to the United States for the first time. They are excited. They have great expectations. You would love to help them understand the different aspects of the culture and what to expect. You are staff in the international students office of a university. You want to help your new students settle in. There are some things you know how to do to help them. There are other things you have no idea how to relate to and cannot help with. You are an educationUSA advisor. You help students that are going to study in the United States. After helping them prepare for their tests and gaining admissions, they are ready to travel. They have lots of questions. You want a resource that will help them prepare for their trip and their life in the United States. My name is Modupe Edeoga. I reside in Chicago with my husband, Ndubuisi, and three children. Twelve years ago I came to the United States from Nigeria, and was in the same boat as many of you reading this book. I was excited at the opportunity to go to the United States. I didnt know much about the United States other than anecdotes I had heard. I earned my Masters in Public Administration here, and will be graduating with my doctorate degree in Organizational Psychology in September. I have worked in the United States in the educational sector, public sector and the non profit sector. I have mentored a number of international students. Based on my experience, I have written this book to help make navigating your life in the United States easier.