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

“Where will they go to school?” is one of the most critical questions relocating parents ask. Finding an answer can take several paths, depending on what’s available in the host country, what’s important to the parents, and the particular needs or strengths of the child.

When all three align on assignment, the resulting educational match can ease parents’ minds and help students thrive. Often, however, parents have to prioritize their needs and wants, and compromise somewhere to find the best fit. Some countries present unique opportunities for learning in different ways. 

In Denmark, for example, empathy is taught in schools. Students aged six to 16 receive one hour of Klassens tid each week.  Fundamental to the Danish curriculum, Klassens tid allows for problem solving in an environment in which children feel safe while practicing understanding and support of one another. Educators and parents alike credit this early introduction to empathy with building adults who are among the happiest in the world. 

South Korea has the distinction of achieving 100% literacy, through a culture of hard work and great emphasis placed on exams. Students go to school year-round and learn to persevere past options that lead to failure. Proponents point to goal-oriented young people who accept that early toil leads to success later.

At the other end of the spectrum is Finland’s belief that personal choice and self-motivation lead to a satisfying course of study. School days are short, compared to those in other Western countries. While taking education very seriously, schools also count extracurricular activities as important to student development. The schedule and curriculum allow time for these activities, typically chosen by the student. This ‘whole student’ approach has worked for Finland, whose education system ranks among the best in the world.

These three examples point to different measurements for success, both while in school and after. Only your family knows what you deem most important. School placement experts can educate you on your options in the host country – or even at home or elsewhere if boarding is the best solution. They can also guide the process of appointments and interviews, while pointing out the nuances of various choices. 

When relocation is on the horizon, start early to get on the path to your children’s education abroad. Coupled with your own parenting and the experience of living in a new country, their opportunities will take them fascinating places. 

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