The book tells the story of the author's experiences growing up in South Africa as a child and later as a family with his wife and young children. It gives insight into the decision to leave South Africa and move to North America. The book also connects his story with his ancestors and the first Swart who went from the Netherlands to South Africa in 1691 as an employee of the Dutch East India Company. His journey in South Africa and from there to North America covers many stories and experiences. While the stories are mainly on the lighter side, there are also the more serious and sad moments. He lost his wife in 2015. In 2017 he met Cato, also originally from South Africa, who he married in 2021. The book gives the reader some insight into the unexpected challenges that come with moving a family halfway around the world. Some of these experiences are told through the eyes of their kids. The book concludes with a few observations on the differences in culture between North America and his country of origin given his ancestors are from the same Europe.

The author was born, and grew up in South Africa. He graduated in Civil Engineering and worked for a consulting firm in Cape Town between 1982 and 1994. It was during the political changes in South Africa in the early nineties, that he and his wife, who was a cost engineer, decided to explore work opportunities abroad. Towards the end of 1994 he and his family moved to Vancouver, Canada where both he and his wife worked in the engineering profession. With an opportunity that came about in 1998 in the USA, the family moved again and settled in Phoenix, Arizona where he retired in 2021.