What to Do If You Lose Valuables During Language Study Abroad: A Complete Guide

Hello, this is Awork Academy.

You've arrived for your language study abroad, full of hope and excitement.
It would be ideal if everything went according to plan, but unexpected trouble can happen quite often during life abroad.

One of the most common issues is losing important belongings.

Losing something unimportant is one thing, but if you lose your passport, money, or plane ticket, you may not know how to respond and feel a great deal of anxiety.

That's exactly why
knowing what to do in case of an emergency in advance is so important.
Today, we'll introduce how to handle the "lost item trouble" that commonly happens during language study abroad.

< If You Lose Your Passport>

A passport is the most important identification document valid overseas.
If you lose it,

You won't be able to board your flight home
You won't be able to travel to another country

and other serious problems can arise.

For this reason,

Don't carry your passport outside when staying somewhere safe
Use a mini safe or a safety pouch

and manage it carefully on a daily basis.

Even so,
losing your passport due to pickpocketing or theft does actually happen.

Steps to Take If You Lose Your Passport

1. File a lost item report at the nearest police station
　→ Have them issue a loss certificate
2. Go to the embassy or consulate
　→ Apply for a travel document (a certificate for returning home) or a passport reissue

At this time,

A copy of your passport
A passport photo

if you prepare these in advance,
the process will go much more smoothly.

< If You Lose Your Plane Ticket >

Losing your plane ticket is also troublesome,
but it's not as serious as losing your passport.

You can get your plane ticket reissued by contacting the airline you're using.

However,

There may be a reissue fee

so please keep that in mind.

Precautions You Can Take in Advance

Save a screenshot of your flight ticket information
Keep your booking number and flight number noted in your phone

Doing just this makes the reissue process go much more smoothly.

< If You Lose Your Wallet>

Your wallet usually holds all your important items together, such as

Cash
Credit card
Debit card

doesn't it?

If You Lose Your Credit Card

Just as you would in Japan,
contact your card company's call center and suspend the card.
It's reassuring to research in advance how to contact them from overseas.

If You Lose Cash

Unfortunately, in most cases lost cash never comes back.

For this reason, when overseas

Don't carry large amounts of cash
Withdraw only what you need from an ATM

are recommended practices.

Tips to Prevent Loss

Keep your cash and cards separate
Don't put everything into a single wallet

Doing just this
can minimize the damage.

Conclusion | What Matters Most Is "Staying Calm and Handling It Step by Step"

This time, we introduced how to handle losing your passport, plane ticket, or wallet during language study abroad.

No matter what trouble arises, there is always a way to solve it.

What matters most is

Not panicking
Staying calm and responding step by step

That's it.

Just having this knowledge in advance can greatly reduce your anxiety when something happens.
Please use this information as a reference and enjoy a worry-free language study abroad experience.

At Awork Academy, we share plenty of useful information, from preparing for language study abroad to handling trouble once you're there.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us anytime.