Originally from Wisconsin and raised in a large family with many siblings, Larry has just moved into a new apartment in Chicago. There he is confronted by Balki, his hitherto unknown cousin from Mypos, a Greek-like island in the Mediterranean. Balki, a sheepherder by trade, interprets the few things he knows about the United States by relying on his own memories of American pop culture, which are often completely out-of-context. Larry reluctantly allows his cousin to stay with him until Balki can live on his own, and decides to take him under his wing and teach him about American life.