Denial? Poor perception? Different worldviews? It’s hard to say. Juliette felt exhausted navigating life as a stranger in a strange land. Her parents evidently didn’t. And she didn’t end up feeling the that way for the rest of her life, btw.

The woman I based Juliette on became an esteemed mental health professional later in life and, I think, very happy with the place she made for herself in the world.