Life Lesson from Travel #10: Know Your Social Security Number

When I was about 15 years old, my mom told me I should memorize my Social Security number. I looked at it once and said, "That is a long number. Why should I work so hard to memorize it? I think I will pass." Well, that statement of mine did not pass with my mother, and she kept pestering me. Eventually, I gave in. After about three years I, had the number memorized. I could have done it much quicker, but I kept procrastinating and ignoring her. What I realized on my winter trip was that she was totally justified in pestering me.

When I was robbed in Italy and had nothing left, I had to go to the United States embassy to get a temporary passport. To enter an embassy, you have to be able to prove who you are, which is difficult if you have no ID. There are other ways to prove who you are, but they can be time-consuming and strenuous. A social security number makes the process easier because it uniquely identifies you, is issued by the US government, and trusted by the government. If you know it, you can confirm your identity quickly, and that is exactly what I did.

At the embassy, they asked for my ID. I did not have it, but I proudly told them my social security number. Within a matter of minutes, as opposed to hours or even days, I was a proven to be an American citizen. I have so much to thank my mom for, but this is probably the most important thing she has taught me. I do not know how else I would have proven who I am. Thank you, Mom!