Expat Lifestyle - The Go-Bag: What Is It? And Why Might You Want One?

By Doreen Cumberford

Congratulations! You've taken the big leap and moved to another country. That took courage. It also requires preparation. When you're living abroad, having a contingency plan isn't optional, it's essential. That's where your go-bag comes in.

When I first moved overseas decades ago, the Embassy required us all to maintain a "go-bag" - a packed emergency kit ready to grab at a moment's notice. It wasn't paranoia; it was preparation. Living abroad means embracing adventure, and adventurers know that being ready for the unexpected isn't pessimistic, it's smart.

Over my decades abroad, I've faced potential diplomatic coups in Cameroon, earthquakes like the devastating Kobe quake in Japan, and terrorism in the early 2000s in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. In Cameroon, my go-bag included water purification tablets, a mosquito net, salt tablets, and anti-malarial medication. In Yokohama with a toddler, we kept it stocked for earthquakes and tsunami warnings. In Saudi Arabia, between 9/11 and the commencement of the Iraq War, we lived with varying levels of terror threats. The corporation we worked for even discussed issuing gas masks. After terrorist incursions hit a neighboring compound, that go-bag shifted from precaution to necessity.

Here in San Miguel de Allende, the threats may feel more distant, but stuff happens, and what’s the downside to being prepared?

Why You Need One

For some populations, go-bags are simply routine. Every expectant mother packs one for the hospital with diapers, onesies, insurance cards, snacks. It sits by the door for weeks, ready for that middle-of-the-night dash to labor and delivery. For our mature expat community, hospital preparedness makes even more sense. A sudden health event, chest pain, a fall, severe dehydration, means you need your medications list, insurance documents, and essentials ready to grab while someone calls for help. When you're heading to a hospital in México City or Querétaro, you don't want to waste precious minutes searching for your passport or trying to remember which pills you take. Beyond medical emergencies, disasters don't discriminate by geography. They can be natural, like earthquakes, floods or brush fires during our bone-dry spring. They can be infrastructure failures, like extended power outages, water contamination, impassable roads after storms. Or occasionally, a situation where your consulate advises foreigners to sit tight and shelter in place or relocate temporarily. San Miguel feels safe, and it is. But "safe" doesn't mean "unprepared." It means we're in a community where having a go-bag is simply smart living, not fear-based thinking.

What Goes In

Your go-bag should sustain you for 72 hours away from home:

The Essentials Checklist

Documents (waterproof pouch):

• Passport + copies

• Cash (USD and pesos)

• Bank/credit cards

• Insurance documents

• Prescription lists

• Written emergency contacts

Critical contacts to write down:

• US Consulate Guadalajara: (33) 3268-2100

• UK Consulate

• Emergency: 911

• Your doctor

• Insurance emergency line

• Trusted local friend

• Family back home

  
  

Medical & Safety:

• 2-week medication supply

• First aid kit

• Flashlight + batteries

• Whistle

• Water bottle + purification tablets

Practical Items:

• Phone charger + power bank

• Change of clothes

• Basic toiletries

• Energy bars

• Small amount of cash hidden separately

For babies/young children add:

• Diapers (week's supply)

• Formula/baby food

• Bottles + sterilization tablets

• Pediatric medications + dosing chart

• Comfort item (stuffed animal, blanket)

• Baby carrier/sling

• Change of clothes (2 sets—they're messy!)

Your Embassy: Your First Call

Always have your consulate's number saved and written down. The Consular Section provides guidance during emergencies, from natural disasters to political situations. They can't evacuate you from every scenario, but they can advise whether to stay put, relocate within México, or leave the country. Their 24-hour emergency line is your lifeline when things go sideways.

Where to Keep It

Not hidden in a back closet keep it somewhere accessible. Near your bedroom door, in your car trunk, by your front entrance. Tell household members where it is. Check it every six months: refresh medications, update documents, replace expired food and batteries.

The Real Question

Living in San Miguel de Allende means you've chosen adventure over predictability. You've embraced a life where "home" might mean navigating a new culture, learning a new language, adapting to infrastructure that works differently than what you knew.

A go-bag isn't about living in fear. It's about living confidently in the choice you've made. It's the same reason you carry car insurance, not because you plan to crash, but because you're responsible enough to prepare for possibilities. Here's my question for you: Do you have a go-bag? If not, when are you going to start putting one together?