When young idealists Lydia Blegen and Nat Reece wed, they begin a new life together in Morocco. For dedicated, ambitious Lydia, there are both challenges and rewards awaiting her as a newlywed Peace Corps volunteer serving in a Muslim country. Lydia loves Nat, but her goals begin to clash with his when he decides to join the US Foreign Service. They encounter family problems, language barriers, cultural misunderstandings, and unhappy compromises...