This memoir tells the story of an American English teacher working in a new university in Palestine during a time of political strife and upheaval. Cynthia Yoder describes the joys of life in Palestine against the backdrop of military occupation and the second intifada, which began soon after she arrived in 2000. Rather than give political analysis, the book gives glimpses into the lives of the Palestinian people the author met. Yoder details the effects of the occupation and describes her journey as a pacifist working amidst violence.