3-2-1 Contact
“I’ve got a file on you”. That’s what you want a family member or close friend to be able to say while you are visiting Japan. Maintaining a contact in your home country is important, but often not the first thing we think of as we prepare to go abroad. When I say “contact“, I’m not just talking about those random calls home you might make to family and friends. I’m talking about someone who can handle business in your home country if something should go awry while you are away.
So, break out your Japan Trip File, flip to a new section and let’s start making (yet another) list of what we need to keep in our contact file.
1. Make a copy of your passport photo/information page. Copy in color, if you are able. This document can assist the American Embassy in Japan in identifying you and pulling up information based on your passport number, if the need should arise.
2. Make a copy of your driver’s license. Again, try to make a color copy if you can. A copy of your driver’s license makes quick work of physically identifying you.
3. Annotate your social security number.
4. Copy the FRONT and BACK of any credit/debit cards you will be taking with you to Japan. Be sure to capture all the credit card numbers so that they are legible, as well as the phone number(s) ususally listed on the back of the card that tells you how to reach customer service. If your cards are lost or stolen while abroad, a simple phone call to the keeper of your file can put you in touch with your credit card companies to quickly have the cards deactivated and/or replaced.
5. Leave a copy of your flight confirmations listing all flight numbers, dates and times of departure as well as dates and times of arrival. Do this for your return flight as well as your outbound flight.
6. If you rent a phone and/or SIM card that causes you to have a Japanese phone number, write it down before you leave. Remember to inclue the country code and instructions on how to dial it if you are unsure the person keeping your file will know how to dial an international number. (If your mobile/cell number works abroad, be sure to write down your U.S. number even if you think the keeper of your file should already know it).
7. Leave a copy of your itinerary — let someone know where you plan to be and the approximate days or times you plan to be there.
8. Copy all confirmations for your accommodations. This includes hotels, hostels, ryokans, guest houses, and even the name, address, and phone numbers of friends you might stay with.
9. Leave a list of your e-mail addresses if you think you might need to communicate via the internet. Do this even when you are sure your e-mail addresses are widely known among your friends and family.
10. Leave any other information you feel might be pertinent and helpful to your family and/or friends in case something goes amiss while you are away.
Once you’ve assembled all your information, and if you’re anything like me with a slight fetish for office supplies (oops, did I say that out loud?), you will place said information into an annotated file folder with 3-prong fasteners, tabs for easy reference and a computer generated label marking the foler as your “While I’m Away” file. Or, if you’re not like me, you’ll just use a good-sized envelope. Now, hand the file over to someone in whom you have absolute trust. My own ”While I’m Away” file went to my parents with an explanation of its contents as well as explicit instructions to keep the information private and safe.
Does this process seem a bit much to you? Are you wondering why we’re going through all this drama? Because Japan has never had an unsafe incident in all its years as an organized country and there’s no need to treat safety as a priority. Yeah, right!!! Statistics will show that Japan is a very safe country. That doesn’t mean, however, that crime and accidents don’t happen. It’s better to be prepared than NOT.
** Notes **
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If at all possible, make a copy of your credit cards instead of handwriting the information. This cuts down on the potential to make mistakes such as transposing or dropping numbers. Also, if your handwriting sucks, your contact person won’t be able to read what you wrote!
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Don’t take shortcuts by leaving out mundane information such as your U.S. cellphone number just because you think your contact should already know it. If something should happen to you, especially being so far from home, your family and friends may panic. The less they have to think and remember, the better off all parties will be.
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Don’t assume your point of contact understands the concept behind your “While I’m Away” file. Explain the information you’ve put inside and stress the importance of keeping the file in a safe place since it contains personal and financial information which should be kept private.
