No Ordinary Life: Awakenings in the Final Days of Apartheid

When Mary, who dreams of travel and adventure, meets Patrick, who has dedicated his life to Foreign Service, the two are a perfect match. The couple marry and set off for his assignment to South Africa. The year is 1992. Nelson Mandela is free, his course set to end apartheid. Patrick's post at the U.S. Embassy in Cape Town is to keep the American diplomatic community safe during what will be two years of political turmoil. Instead of her dream of adventure, Mary struggles with the restrictions imposed by diplomatic life during times of high risk. The stress on Patrick is tremendous. When the U.S. ambassador denies Mary's request to seek local employment due to security concerns, she gets a job at the embassy. Happy to be working in Foreign Service, the exotic setting Mary dreamed of turns out to be a pressure cooker that undermines her freedom, her friendships, and ultimately, her marriage.