Tom Åsland studies biochemistry and is working on his thesis together with Samira, a girl from Iraq. Both she and her brother Ohmar are friends of Tom's; they grew up in Norway and are well integrated into society. Nevertheless, their parents take it for granted that their children should conform to the same traditions they themselves grew up with. Samira understands this, but when her friendship with Tom develops into something more, both she and Tom experience the difficulties that second-generation immigrants can encounter. Both Samira and her brother are faced with difficult choices that have major personal consequences for them.