Summary

In "African Girls," when Nadia was 12, her father sent her and Yasmeen to St. Mary's, a boarding school in Surrey, England. He hoped St. Mary's would make them feel more settled.

Nadia was one of two black girls in her class. The other girl's name was Agatha. Agatha immediately attached herself to Nadia. Nadia, however, wanted to be accepted by the white girls, all of whom scorned Agatha. Because Nadia had an American passport, she told everyone she was American to gain popularity. Throughout her time at St. Mary's, Nadia did everything in her power to maintain her social position. As an adult, she is ashamed of the way she treated Agatha. She also realizes her behavior was a survival mechanism.

In "Mainshocks," "Minor Aggressions," when Nadia was 13, living in Rome with her family, her father was hospitalized. Tensions between her and Anabel...