Funny story...

Once upon a time, in a land far far away lived a girl named Miss Amanda (or as one of her students so affectionately called her, Miss Amanga). She was teaching English in Ukraine, and living with a host family. One who spoke no English. One morning she arose later than planned, and didn't have time to get ready. In order to not starve during her long hours of teaching, she decided that sustenance was more important than a shower. She hurriedly got ready for the day, and then made some food. That food was oh so yummy, and by the time she was finished she had little time left. She bundled up, put on her backpack, and headed out the door. 

This is where the story gets funny... Well, more-so now than it was at the time. 

As Miss Amanda proceeded to shut the door behind her, it wouldn't shut. Now I know you all are thinking, well if it wasn't shutting then obviously there was a problem, but it never shuts tight, and you have to pull it tight, and often you can still push it right open. Well, she continued to pull on that door handle until it made a clicking sound... One that she had not heard before. And then it hit her. The door was LOCKED. Miss Amanda had just locked herself out of her room. How she had managed to do that, she had no idea, but she was running late and had no time to figure out a solution. The locked door would have to wait.

As Miss Amanda swiftly walked to school, all she could think about was being locked out of her room. In Ukraine. In a host family that spoke no English. Once she arrived at the school and began teaching, she quickly forgot, until four hours later when teaching was over and it was time to go home. 

Instead of going home and facing the task at hand, she instead decided to hang out at the school with the other teachers, and draw pictures for "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" (a song that would be taught to the students during the last few weeks of school). After she finished with the pictures, she continued to stick around, dreading going home, in the rain, to the house where she had somehow managed to lock herself out. 

After lots of complaining, one of the teachers (who spoke Russian) kindly wrote a note saying that Miss Amanda had locked herself out. Or at least that is what she assumed the note said, since it was all in Russian, and it honestly could have said how she was a Stupid American who should be laughed at, and not helped. I guess we will never know. Miss Amanda then proceeded to wait for a break in the rain, and bolted out of the school in an effort to beat the rain home. The rain held off for 5 minutes, just enough time for Miss Amanda to make it a third of the way home. Luckily though, it was only drizzling, and didn't start pouring until she had reached her apartment building. 

As she entered the building, she thought of her plan of action. Just how was she going to tell her host family she locked herself out. And what if they didn't have a key??? As she walked into her apartment, and headed to her bedroom door, she decided to give it a try to see if it would open. It didn't budge. However, Miss Amanda looked at the keyhole, and realized that she had been worried that whole time for nothing. All Miss Amanda needed was one little копійок to save the day. I just needed a coin. Seriously??? Well, the worrying had all been for naught, and Miss Amanda was able to unlock her door with no problem at all. She didn't even need the note. Thanks though Zach! I really appreciate it! 

So there you have it. The sad, yet funny story of how I managed to lock myself out of my room. Good news? I know how to get into it if that ever happens again.

Southern Belle in Europe.