[almostbroke]

Hey Stacey- I would add only one thing to the above good advice. If you have a relative( or friend) that you can rely on, it would be a good idea to give that person Power of Attorney. That way there will be someone who can make transactions or sign things on your behalf if needed while you are away. Some businesses (esp credit card companies) only honor a POA for six months from it''s date of notarization. My sister is handling all my finances while we are away, and she has had no problem in taking care of business for me with a POA. Be sure to have many original copies made and notarized, as some of my mutual fund accounts would only honor an original copy. It is a good idea to get it all started before you leave and work out the bugs while you are still stateside.
Fair winds,
Jim