On April 1st single mother Maria and her tenyearold son Micha move into a new apartment located in the Berlin district Marzahn On the very first evening Maria gets an invitation from her neighbor Alvaro a political emigrant from Uruguay who keeps working for his countrys Communist Party while staying in the GDR Maria and Alvaro fall passionately in love Even Micha who is suspicious of Alvaro in the beginning eventually becomes friend with him Thus nothing stands in the way of their happiness except for the certainty that Alvaro will have to leave as soon as he gets a new assignment