Elizabeth Warnock Fernea is newly married and accompanies her husband, Bob Fernea, to a remote village in southern Iraq where he conducts research for his doctoral degree. Initially, she expresses apprehension, irritation, and a wry sense of humor when describing her life in an unfamiliar country. She wonders how this trip ended up being her honeymoon, and she recounts funny stories about her time abroad, like stepping on the hem of her abayah cloak and accidentally pulling it off. At the same time, she is genuinely vexed and disgusted by the thought of wearing a cloak and remaining secluded from the male population of the village.

In the first two chapters, Elizabeth is able to gather valuable research about the women in the village. Despite her poor Arabic and her lack of knowledge about local customs and social graces, she manages to introduce herself to the local women. Initially, she is judgmental toward some of these women and views them through her own preconceived notions about womanhood. However, Elizabeth still wishes to establish relationships with them. She hopes that she can bond with them despite the fact that they come from different backgrounds. At first, Elizabeth is disillusioned by their rejection and berating, but she is stubborn and savvy enough to eventually become allies with them.