The protagonist's journey began in Armenia, where she fled from the Turks and ultimately settled in the Mission District of San Francisco during her childhood. This move marked a significant transition in her life, allowing her to establish new roots in a foreign land.
Despite her new surroundings, she carried a deep, personal sorrow that she seldom shared: the loss of her first husband, who was tragically killed during the war. This past experience influenced her later relationship with Paul Jobs, as revealed in Walter Isaacson's biography of Steve Jobs.