February started with me locking myself in a bathroom and ended with me on a beach in California

From panicking in my bathroom to enjoying the sunset over the Pacific, February was an interesting month, to say the least.

The madness started one afternoon when I decided to take a quick afternoon shower. I wanted to wash off the sweat from my morning Flamenco class and be fresh for my evening Bachata class. I told myself I would take a quick shower. For this reason, I didn't bring my phone into the bathroom to listen to music. My usual bathroom karaoke wasn't on the agenda.

I took a quick, hotter-than-the-flames-of-hell shower, got out, and went to open the shower door.

I grabbed the door handle and pulled, and it wouldn’t open. I wasn’t too surprised because my bathroom door is tricky. Sometimes you have to do a little push-and-pull motion to get it open.

On my second attempt, the door wouldn’t budge. Then I frantically shook the handle and pulled on the door, and it still wouldn’t open.

After numerous failed attempts, my blood began to boil and my whole body felt like it was on fire. My heart pounded as if it were trying to escape from my chest. In a millisecond my mind leaped to the worst-case scenario.

I’m trapped inside!

Who would find me?

Was I going to die in my bathroom?

Am I going to have to break down the door?

After a few moments of spiraling, I pulled myself out of the pit of negative thoughts. I told myself I was going to MacGyver my way out of here. I gathered combs, Q-tips, and anything I could find to try to pick the door handle and open the door.

Yet, two broken combs and a bent toothbrush later, the door remained locked. So I did the only thing I could think of.

I screamed for help.

Keep in mind I live in Spain, so I had to shout in Spanish.

“ Ayudame”

If you want to see how I escaped my bathroom, check out the full story on my free Substack here. And don't forget to subscribe for more stories about living abroad.