This is what I was told when preparing for my school trip to Turkey. Our team was going through these dramatized simulations at a retreat to learn how to be safe and know what to do in certain situations. One of the lessons they kept drilling into us was to be super aware of where our passports were at all times. To learn this lesson, we had to "check in" to this "customs agent" (a.k.a our trip leader) to get into the "country" (a.k.a our cabin for the weekend). When each person was approved they could then go to the security section (a.k.a some students ruffling through bags). However, if the student did not ask for their passport back, then the custom agent would keep it. So many of the students were distracted that they didn't even notice they had left without their passport. Thankfully I wasn't one of them.
After this simulation we all got together to discuss logistics and what problems people needed to prepare themselves for the next time. Now, this simulation with the passports was very exaggerated, and will most likely never happen. However, it is important to be this aware of your passport at all times. Here are some tips:
1. Photocopy your passport: Do this before the trip and have these copies (best if they're color copies) with you in the country. That way if your passports gets stolen or lost, you will have the copy to prove who you are. It'd be even better if you left one of the colored copies with your family members or friends back home, so if all else fails, they can send the copied document.
2. Carry or hide your passport: If you carry it on you, then keep it close at hand in a money belt or a zipped up pocked in your purse. You can also hide your passport in the hotel safe or your bags if you have locks for them.
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