Amala also loved the food and the relaxed atmosphere of the social life—something she’d never experienced in England. She and Paulina talked a great deal about the contrasts and how remaining in one place for the whole of one’s life could restrict one's way of thinking. Amala only knew India and England. But her memories of India were dominated by the horror of her parents’ deaths, which had accentuated her memories of all of the negative and frightening things about her home country. She did remember its beauties as well, but she couldn’t think about them without thinking of the ugliness. Amala’s experience of England—as she realized now—had been very limited. Her parents had clearly been trying to protect her, but the result had been that she’d only been exposed to a certain level of society in one part of the country. Paulina told her stories of wonderful people she knew in quaint English villages that were not terribly unlike where they were staying now. And she talked of treasured areas of London where diversity was not so looked down upon and where there were kind, selfless people who ran quaint shops and bakeries and eating establishments. It seemed these were the kinds of people Paulina sought out wherever she went; she was interested in the common people, and while she was a little too flamboyant to ever blend into any crowd, she had learned to make friends among them because she respected and admired all people, no matter their class or profession—or the color of their skin.

Amala began exchanging regular letters with her family now that she was settled in one place for a long while; how long, she didn’t know yet. And she didn’t care. She was glad for every piece of mail that came from home, and all the lovely details of life that each of her parents and Kat shared in their letters. She missed them, but her relief in being away from the complications there overpowered any longing she might feel. In turn, Amala wrote back lengthy letters about her adventures and all she was learning and experiencing. The exchange of missives back and forth became a highlight for Amala, allowing her to feel that she was remaining close to her family while still maintaining a comfortable distance and continuing to enjoy all the things she loved about this place that had quickly come to feel like home.