I lost mine on a year abroad in Israel... went to consulate to fill out some paperwork and they sent the info on to the embassy (I olny went to the consulate because I could get an apointment there sooner than the embassy)... about a month later and around $100 poorer I got a new passport in the mail at my school (if i had needed to go home they said they could have issued a temporary passport)

I was actually in Israel on an expired tourist visa so it made it easier when i left the country (and came back a month later on a visitors visa... for the fourth time that year).