By the time the plane landed in Satbury, it was the middle of the night.
At border control, the officer flipped through Evelyn's documents and asked her a few standard questions.
"Ms. Evelyn Walsh, how long do you plan to stay in Algaria?"

"I've received a job offer from a company in Satbury, and my work visa has already been processed. I expect to be here for about two years."
Hearing her fluent Kaelish, the officer didn't question her further. With a quick stamp, he waved her through.
Evelyn politely thanked him, picked up her luggage, and walked out of the airport.
Pulling out her newly purchased phone, she searched for nearby hotels and hailed a cab.
The driver, a local woman, took one look at her and struck up a conversation.
Hearing someone speak her native language in a foreign country, Evelyn instantly felt a sense of familiarity.

They chatted the whole way, and the driver gave her plenty of tips on living in Satbury, which Evelyn made sure to remember.
By the time they arrived at the hotel, they had already exchanged numbers.
The driver even helped her bring her luggage into the elevator before saying goodbye.
Once inside her room, Evelyn swiped the key card and pushed open the door.

The sight of the clean, neatly arranged space was a balm to her weary soul. She quickly unpacked, went downstairs for a late-night meal, and returned to shower.
The moment she lay down on the soft bed, she was out like a light.
The next afternoon, around 2:00 pm, Evelyn groggily woke up.
For a brief moment, staring at the unfamiliar ceiling, she felt disoriented.
It took her almost five minutes to fully register that she had left home. She was in a brand new country.
Outside, Satbury was at its peak in summer, with the air heavy with heat.
She picked out a light sundress, changed, and then headed out for lunch before taking a cab to her new apartment.
The landlord arrived right on time and handed her the keys.
Stepping into the place she would now call home, Evelyn took a slow walk around, making a mental list of everything she needed to buy.
She then arranged for a cleaning service to tidy up the space.
By evening, she returned with her luggage, settling in at last.
Over the next few days, Evelyn stocked up on all the essentials, gradually making the once-empty apartment warm and habitable.
At the same time, she kept in touch with her housemate, who was arriving soon.
Slowly, she got used to life in Satbury.
Thanks to her excellent cooking skills and the proximity of several universities, she blended in with the international student community.
She even grew close to two girls who lived next door.
They took her out shopping, introduced her to local restaurants, and showed her around the city.
Balancing work and leisure, Evelyn found herself enjoying this new chapter of her life.
One morning, she was woken up by noise coming from outside her room.
Still rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she stepped out and saw a young woman, probably in her early 20s, standing there with a suitcase. The woman was smiling shyly at her.
"Hi, are you Evelyn? I'm Sophie Reynolds, your housemate."
That was when Evelyn remembered that her housemate had mentioned that she would be arriving in Satbury that day.
She immediately stepped forward to greet her. She helped her carry her things inside while giving her a quick tour of the apartment.
By the end of the morning, the two of them, who had only ever chatted online, were already getting along.
That afternoon, they went grocery shopping together.
Sophie was still a student, and in a few days, her classes would start.
To welcome her, Evelyn cooked a full meal and invited their neighbors and a few friends over for dinner.
After spending more time together, the whole group naturally became closer.
Evelyn was finally settling into her new life.