( Yes I learned this from person experience on a banking holiday. It was actually a kind of funny adventure, once you got past the part where you have no money with you. I felt like a spy running all over the city to money drops.)
- Stop panicking, take a deep breath.
- Realize that it’s not the worst thing to happen to you. This is because you are in a beautiful foreign country, and also because screaming is not going to help you.
- Go back to your hotel room, apartment, or library. Get online, find the telephone numbers of your banks and call to cancel your cards. I do not recommend you use pay phones.
- Then ask the bank to issue you a new card. The card normally can’t be mailed overseas by the bank so expect it to take 5-7 business days to arrive at your home address. Then have a friend or family member activate the card, call the bank to tell them you will be using it abroad, and then mail the card to your address in the foreign country.
- Make sure you have some identification on you. Hopefully you made a copy of your passport or left the passport back in your hotel. I suggest you go and get that passport.
- Next email, Skype or Facebook someone from home who will be willing to lend you money.
- Have them go online to Western Union and wire you money. Find the nearest Western Union. Bring your passport because a US driver’s license will not be accepted. If you don’t have a passport, have the person you are contacting fax you a copy of it.
- Got to Western Union, fill out all information including exact amount of money that you will be receiving, your current address, the transaction number, and name and address of person wiring you the money.
- Done!!! Go have fun!!