The whole world is buzzing with talk of coronavirus. There’s been a surprising amount of panic buying. I want to offer some encouragement: You can be reasonably prepared without over-spending your money, time, or sanity!

I’ve discovered that most people wing it when it comes to emergency preparedness overseas. Adjusting to life abroad is more than a full time job when you first move, so it’s understandable that other tasks take priority. But wouldn’t you feel relieved with strategies in place? It’s easier than you think.

Back home I would have taught my kids our address, phone number, how and when to call 911. Living overseas, it hasn’t been so easy. We don’t have a landline. We don’t even have an address! Emergency services are not reliable, or quick, or anything else we expect. Over time, we’ve come up with ways to feel a sense of being prepared and equipped. That’s what I’m sharing with you in this post.