When I joined the Rosenthal family through a student exchange program, I was excited but quickly discovered their peculiar habits. Mr. and Mrs. Rosenthal were overly polite but seemed strange—never eating together, watching TV with the sound off, and setting clocks to different times.

One night, I saw the Rosenthals watching TV in silence. When I tried to turn up the volume, Mrs. Rosenthal screamed, and Mr. Rosenthal muted it immediately. Their children, Elias and Lena, constantly shadowed me and reported my actions.

Struggling with their bizarre routines, I found solace in photography. I met Marta, a local journalist, who became a mentor and friend. However, the Rosenthals disapproved, forbidding me from taking photos and seeing Marta.

Determined to escape, I left one morning but was stopped by Mr. Rosenthal. Fortunately, Marta intervened, and I moved in with her. With Marta’s support, I pursued photography professionally, eventually having my work published. The Rosenthals’ strange ways led me to my true passion.