One night a bat got into my room and started flying around. I was afraid it would bite me and turn me into a vampire. But my cat wasn’t scared, he caught the bat and ate it. I thank Saint Nino, patroness saint of tutors, because I managed to raise such a clever and brave cat.

Vera, Saint Petersburg, 2010

A group of female gypsies lifted my wallet in St. Petersburg, Russia. But I got it back thanks to a tall thin old man and a helpful Russian policeman.