Forty-five-year-old Anatoly Stolbov has been the head of the village of Ruzskoye for several years. He successfully uses the budget, periodically arranging lavish feasts and demonstrations for the commission from the center. His daughter Tanya went to Africa a year ago to teach Russian, and he misses her terribly. His daughter is finally returning - along with a group of Africans who have no place to live because of the natural disaster. Stolbov does not want to receive guests, but then a commission from the center arrives. Tanya introduces the Africans to the commission and says that on Anatoly's initiative their village is participating in an international program of mutual aid and resettlement. The commission praises Stolbov and promises to allocate money for the development of the program. So Stolbov and other villagers are forced to tolerate the exotic guests. But when Anatoly learns that Tanya is going to marry an African, his patience comes to an end.