The author, who has been married to an Egyptian for over 40 years, now spends most of the year in Alexandria, Egypt. Her encounters with other foreign women there inspired her book. Fifteen women shared their true, very personal stories with her, which Annelies Ismail collected and wrote down in collaboration with her daughter Mona Gabriel. Some women "blindly" followed their husbands to a foreign country in the 1960s, where they had to learn an entirely new language and navigate the challenges of a different culture. They often faced economic difficulties and sometimes had to defend themselves against intrigues, but each of these families found their own way. The experiences with the people in Egypt, their hospitality, and their attitudes towards women are reflected in the narratives.