Chapter 1

Naomi Bowers steps out of the airbridge in the Helsinki airport, lugging her carryon while consulting the directions she printed out before leaving home in Beckley, West Virginia. There’s no one to meet her, but for introvert Naomi this is something of a plus. Her only real concern is to reclaim her baggage, and then find a taxi. An Airbnb apartment awaits her in the heart of Helsinki, which will hopefully include a hot bath and several glasses of wine.

Pulling her small bag behind her on its wheels, Naomi heads to the baggage claim, thankfully labeled in English as well as Finnish. She had tried to learn a bit of the native language, but not much had stuck. She can say yes and thank you—and that’s about it. Luckily, she has been told that pretty much everyone under forty in Finland speaks English

The airport is full of lively passengers, younger than the average American crowd and less ethnically diverse. In spite of herself, Naomi begins to feel that she’s fitting in.

Standing at the luggage carousel, Naomi’s thoughts drift to her partner back in West Virginia. She and Cat met in college, both weirdo outcasts in the 1970s sorority culture. There were lots of times when they covered for each other on dates and at parties.

Cat has always been supportive of Naomi’s film-making projects, but this time seems a bit different for some reason. Maybe it’s just that the two women have been drifting apart in the last couple of years. But Naomi can’t shake the idea that this trip is a turning point. She makes a silent vow to call Cat as soon as she gets settled in.

Naomi glances around her at the baggage claim, noticing her fellow travelers. She shoves a stray strand of curly gray hair behind her ear, a bit self-conscious about her age. Not an unusual reaction for the shy and self-conscious artist. She makes a concerted effort to focus on the task at hand: successfully finding the Airbnb apartment and getting a good night’s sleep.

Her ultimate destination is a creative center to the north of Helsinki where Naomi will spend a month working on a film project documenting local spaces in rural Finland, and enjoying the company of fellow artists from all over the world. As always, the time away from West Virginia—and from Cat—feels like an oasis in the tension that has become her everyday life.

After claiming her luggage, which thankfully comes right out on the carousel, and going through customs, Naomi heads to find ground transportation. She follows the signs for the taxi stand as she still isn’t comfortable with Uber—especially in a foreign country.

Suddenly, a tempting smell wafts its way past her nose: hot dogs! Naomi is struggling with eating vegetarian, but a good hot dog is a weak spot. She promises herself she will treat herself to a hot dog before leaving Finland in five weeks.

* * * *

The Airbnb spot proves to be a comfortable haven for Naomi’s first few days in Finland. She had planned this as a sort of easing in to the communal environment of the residency, which is always an adjustment for her. She spends the time making notes for her project and laying in supplies. A call to Cat ends each evening.

Naomi finds the city friendly and easy to navigate—her host had left excellent maps to supplement online information. It’s October, and the days are short. The early sunset freaks her out at first—such a change from home. It takes some doing to locate the Alko store, Finland’s.state-sanctioned place to buy alcohol. Naomi knows she will feel stranded without a bit of vodka to ease the transition.

Exploring the city, Naomi is struck by the cleanliness of the streets. She finds a quiet, friendly pub with excellent fish soup, a Finnish treat. Naomi begins to relax into the culture of this metropolitan city with a laid-back atmosphere. The traffic is civilized, and the natives seem to accept the presence of visitors. An excellent beginning for a productive residency.

* * * *

Soon enough, the day comes for her to leave her city haven and join her colleagues at Arteles. It’s arranged that someone from the center will meet Naomi and other residents at the Central Railway Station. For introvert Naomi, this is always the worst part of a residency: the initial “meet and greet” a group of strangers with whom she’s expected to live for a month. Her stomach churns in anxiety.

The landmark railway station is easy to find, and not a bad walk, even with her luggage. As always, she had tried to pack light—one less hassle. She had shipped her camera equipment to the center ahead of time.

At the station, it doesn’t take long to spot a smiling, blonde young woman holding up a sign that reads “Arteles Residents.” Naomi breathes a sigh of relief—at least that’s one hurdle cleared.