The Grown-Up's Guide to Running Away from Home, Second Edition: Making a New Life Abroad (32 page)

BOOK: The Grown-Up's Guide to Running Away from Home, Second Edition: Making a New Life Abroad
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A Lost Passport

Your U.S. passport can usually be replaced at the nearest U.S. consulate. This is why extra photos come in handy. With a driver’s license, birth certificate, photocopy of the missing passport, or an expired U.S. passport you can replace your passport more easily.

Robbery

Report a robbery immediately to the local police. Their written report will establish your claim for your insurance company. Sometimes your homeowner policy will cover the loss of luggage, but check that it’s still valid before you leave for overseas. If you have sold or rented your home, the policy that used to cover you may no longer be in effect.

If your credit cards are stolen, contact the bank or credit card issuers immediately. Keep these phone numbers separate from the cards and in a place where they can be easily located in an emergency.

Emergency Funds

The Department of State’s Overseas Citizen’s Services can come in handy for Americans in emergency situations. Contact the nearest U.S. embassy. If your emergency is financial, the consular office can allow you to call home collect to arrange to get funds. Your bank or relatives can wire money using the U.S. embassy as your conduit for a faster response. If they wire the money through the State Department in Washington, D.C., as soon as the money is received there, the embassy or consulate near you will be authorized to turn over the equivalent amount to you overseas.

For more information about the Bureau of Consular Affairs, visit
www.travel.state.gov
.

Homeowner Policies for Overseas Coverage

I never thought it necessary to have special insurance on my belongings other than the homeowner policy on our home overseas and, of course, insurance on our car. However, there are companies that insure belongings specifically for travelers. Often this insurance comes complete with personal accident or trip cancellation policies.

Here are two companies that offer comprehensive policies:

Access America, Inc.
, P.O. Box 90315, Richmond, VA 23286-4991; telephone (800) 284-8300. Travel insurance and trip cancellation, medical insurance for short-term trips, and baggage and travel accident insurance.

Travel Guard International
, 1145 Clark Street, Stevens Point, WI 54481; telephone (800) 782-5151 or (715) 345-0505. Offers baggage, trip cancellation, and medical insurance for the length of a short trip.

Now Go Forth and Don’t Worry

It may seem from all these tips that the world outside the United States is a very frightening place. In reality, it’s likely the only danger you face will be a waitress who spills your cappuccino. As is true for many Americans overseas, chances are you’ll feel safer many places there than in the States. For many expats, safety is high on the list of reasons why they enjoy living overseas.

21
Your Countdown Checklist

If I should not be learning now, when should I be?

—Lacydes

The secret to a successful adventure hinges on three things: planning, planning, and planning. You can’t manage a long-term change in lifestyle without a map to guide you. The sooner you start creating one, the better you’ll stay on track, avoiding pitfalls that can sabotage the experience. If an unforeseen problem does arise, a plan will keep you organized enough to cut that mountain down into a molehill.

Don’t trust your memory. Make lists galore of everything you need to do at each stage. Constantly update the lists, crossing off, adding, making sublists of lists as the time draws closer to departure. You’ll know you’re doing it right if you could end up papering a moving van with the crossed-off lists. Here’s a basic checklist to begin the planning process:

A Year to Six Months in Advance

Research destinations.

Network with friends and acquaintances.

Do major repairs on your house in preparation for rental or sale. If you rent, repair or clean the unit to ensure a return of any security deposit held by the landlord.

Start allowing unwanted magazine subscriptions to lapse.

Five Months

Determine what to do with belongings.

Hold a preliminary garage sale if necessary.

Put your house on the market (if selling).

Determine if you need a visa and, if necessary, start the application procedure.

Three Months

Save address labels for change-of-address forms.

Set up a complete address book for travel.

BOOK: The Grown-Up's Guide to Running Away from Home, Second Edition: Making a New Life Abroad
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