A conservative student leaves Lithuania for her first semester this far west, still in glasses and a cardigan, with Tomas on Skype and a list of museums for company.
In the host house, kindness thins fast: Mark stands too close in the kitchen, the twin sons wait at the library wall, and Diane sees it and says nothing.
The guest room has no lock that will hold, only a chair, and once Mark says he will call the exchange office, her okay passes to him, then to the twins after she hangs up with Tomas, and on the last night to the whole house.
She tells the coordinator everything is wonderful.
She flies home and kisses a boy who will never know what that free-use placement cost.
