Parents of teenagers often have their hands full. Navigating social relationships, marking physical and hormonal changes, perhaps acclimating to secondary/high school, and generally growing into an adult being – all can require parental guidance even as the teen strives for independence.

When a move abroad is added to the mix, both teens and parents can use all the help they can get.

Enter support from a surprising source: public libraries.

Enticing young adults to use library services has led many to assess teen needs and deliver far more than the printed page. In the United States, YALSA is the Young Adult Library Services Association, a division of the American Library Association (ALA). YALSA promotes not only reading but all manner of services that contribute to healthy teen development and build strong communities.

One of the biggest challenges families and teens face is managing their immersion in media content, for both academic and social purposes. This skill is needed in nearly every aspect of modern life, and teens who can master – and balance their interaction with – the overwhelming amount of digital content we all encounter will be better equipped for life and work in the future.

Wherever you are around the world, your local library may offer:

• Curated collections of young adult books and graphic novels
• Makerspace and dedicated, acoustically isolated teen areas
• Homework help, both in person and online
• Events and programs scheduled after school and during school vacations
• Digital collections of traditional reading materials (books and magazines) as well as movies, instructional tools like Lynda, and e-books and audiobooks through OverDrive
• Group sessions that teach tech tips, Internet research, and online safety
• DVDs and video games
• Safe places for LGBTQ+ specific programming
• Teen Tech Week (or Month) that fosters invention and learning

For a few great examples of the above offerings, see Toronto’s Youth Hub programs; Los Angeles County’s Teen Tech Month and Online Homework Help – which provides live online help in English or Spanish, as well as access to Khan Academy, test prep resources, and “Instant Librarian” chat; Wellington, New Zealand’s Homework Help and Teen Blog; and New York Public Library’s  Free Afterschool Programs and resources For Teens.

Check out your local library and take advantage of all it has to offer your family. It could be the best support service you never knew existed.

[NOTE: Wherever you are in the world reading this, your in-person library resources may be off-limits due to coronavirus response. Please continue to take advantage of vast digital lending collections and online resources for both academics and pure enjoyment.] 

Written by Ellen Harris, GMS, Product Manager, Content Group

Mobile devices now account for almost half of the globe’s Internet traffic, and their use for contactless payment is also on a dramatic rise.

While a number of mass transportation systems around the world have had their own mobile apps for fare payment for a while, there are now systems that accept payment directly from Apple Wallet and/or Google Pay. This is convenient for passengers who are short-term visitors, multi-destination travelers, or just prefer this method where available. Apple provides a list of compatible transportation systems here, and Google Pay provides one here.

Here’s how to use this type of payment:

Make sure your operating system is up to date.
This is important not only for functionality, but also for transaction security.

Make sure your transportation accepts the payment method. 
It’s important to be aware that in some cases — for example, New York City — contactless mobile device payment is only available in some parts of the overall system.

Add a payment method to your device.
Instructions for Apple Wallet here.
Instructions for Google Pay here.

When you approach the transit system entrance, wake up your device.
Hold your device near the screen. You may be required to provide your passcode or ID.
Proceed when you see payment has been accepted.

If you don’t want to take your mobile phone out of your pocket, smart watches that have access to Apple Wallet or Google Pay can often be used instead.

In some transportation systems, those with an iPhone 6S or better can even set up their mobile devices to automatically authorize fare payment, without needing to wake the device up or provide passcode/ID. Apple provides a setup guide for this here.

Some preparation now can pay off significantly over time, as these innovations continue to take hold. Mobile device payment offers contactless convenience that’s often more secure than its card or cash-based predecessors. These are qualities that appeal to many consumers, whether they are globally mobile or not.

Written by Erin Fitzgerald, GMS, Content Manager

Traveling or living abroad is an all-encompassing experience. Parts of your brain that are usually on autopilot at home tend to come alive with awareness, absorption, and adaptation. But that heightened state doesn’t mean you won’t get distracted. Or forget things. Or leave things behind.

A recent article described how efficient the Japanese are at reuniting lost items with their owners. In Tokyo, for example, 2018 saw 83% of lost mobile phones returned to their owners, and 65% of lost wallets, according to the BBC.

Credit is given to Japan’s kōban, neighborhood police kiosks whose ubiquitous presence and friendly officers foster honesty from an early age.

What about other places? Apparently – and not surprisingly – there is a much lower chance of your wallet or phone being turned in to police in New York – about 10% and 6%, respectively, according to a University of Michigan study.

Would you know how to go about finding a lost item in, say, the New York City subway system? Here’s a look at the Lost & Found details from transit authorities in a few major cities around the world:

New York City MTA:
Step-by-step Instructions on What to Do:

Things lost in New York range from blood pressure meters to hockey sticks to dentures, with lots of cell phones, wallets, and umbrellas in between. With 5.7 million people riding the subway on an average weekday, some of those people are bound to lose something.

Items are held by the MTA for at least 3 months (unless perishable or in poor condition, in which case they’re discarded), and up to 3 years.

London’s Transport for London (TFL):

The Underground cautions that it can take up to 7 days to collect and catalog items left behind. Items are held for 3 months, and then donated, recycled, disposed of, or sold.

Authorities will not keep individual credit cards. They are securely destroyed when found, and owners are advised to contact their banks for replacement when they realize they are lost.

Paris RATP: 

Items lost in Paris within the past 5 days are reported by phone, while items lost longer ago are reported via an online form.

Lost credit cards are sent to a centralized payment center in Limoges, where cards are returned to the issuing banks. But note that while French-issued cards are returned within 2 days, it may take up to 60 days to return a non-French card. Customers are advised to contact their bank to suspend the old card and issue a new one.

Recommendations
– One key takeaway is to act quickly but have patience. All mass transit systems take some time to get your item into the system. Then a wide variance in the amount of time items are kept mean that your item could be discarded within 30 days or stored for three years.

– Metro authorities deal with lost tickets in different ways, some simply discarding them while others give their owners an opportunity to file a lost-item inquiry for them.

– Anything monetary related – like a metro card linked to your credit card that automatically reloads – riders should plan to address it quickly.

– Finally, be aware of what you’re carrying in your bag or purse, so if you lose the whole unit you can identify lost items, and replace them promptly if necessary.

And if you should find yourself on the Tokyo Metro and lose something, click here and then rest assured that you have a very good chance of it being returned to you.

Written by Ellen Harris, GMS,  Product Manager, Content Group

Repatriation is commonly cited as one of the most challenging phases in a globally mobile lifestyle. While there is a great deal of support available for assignees in unfamiliar destinations, preparation for a return home can be much more elusive. Many assignees and their families are surprised at how their experiences have changed them, and at how much their home country has changed during their absence.

Here are five things assignees can do now that will support their journey to repatriation later:

Consider challenges
In many ways, repatriation should be viewed as a new assignment rather than a homecoming. Many changes — some small, and possibly some substantial — have taken place in your home country during your time abroad. Take the time to review your perceptions and identify your expectations.

Plan ahead
Think about where the children will be academically on your return home, and compile a list of possible schools or colleges. An accompanying spouse or partner may need to consider whether they are likely to return to their career at home, or use this opportunity to change direction. Those who have learned a new language, or wish to continue developing their interest and involvement in a new culture, should research how they will be able to do so at home.

Communicate
Talk about what you are going through with friends, family, and colleagues. Connecting with others who have repatriated, and who have experienced reverse culture shock, can prepare you for the unanticipated. Looking for counseling sessions, reentry workshops, and ex-expat clubs in your home destination and online can be helpful, as can determining how you will keep in touch with friends you made abroad.

Stay familiar
Being in sync with your peers will be important when you return. Magazines and newspapers from home, whether in paper or online format, can be a good way to maintain this connection, as can podcasts and other streaming media programs.

Maintain data
Moving from one destination to another requires organization, regardless of what location is “home.” Make sure the following information is up to date, and in easy places to access:

• Household goods inventories
• Personal documents such as birth records, citizenship papers, passports and driving licenses
• Legal documents relating to wills, family matters, property ownership, or insurance policies
• Medical and dental records, including test results, X-rays and MRIs, prescriptions, and vaccination updates
• School records and documents such as examples of student work, certificates, and test results

These are just a few of the things you can do to prepare for repatriation. The International Relocation Center offers many other resources to begin thinking about the challenges and processes of returning home.

Written by Erin Fitzgerald, GMS, Content Manager