For One Man, It Really Is the End of the World

As business goes increasingly global, many wonder: Is it true that people are the same wherever you go? One man has an answer. Not very many people in the world have visited all 193 countries, but one more person is about to accomplish this spectacular goal.
His name is Chris Guillebeau. He’s the architect of the Art of Non-Conformity and bestselling author of The $100 Startup: Reinventing the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love and Create a New Future. I’ve visited less than 20 countries. Every time I go someplace new, my entire perspective is radically changed. The idea of visiting 193 is so tantalizing not only for the promise of a new vision and countless thrilling, terrifying and illuminating experiences, but because it shows that anything is possible.
I had a million questions for Chris. He graciously took the time to respond even as his plane was touching down at Heathrow for his journey to Norway, the last country on the list, where he will celebrate his birthday with friends, family and fans this weekend. Here’s a glimpse into his wondrous journey.
Did you ever want to give up the chase?
No. I had lots of low moments, but I can honestly say once I started working toward the goal I never wanted to quit. I'm very motivated by goals, and for some reason I connected with the idea of "going everywhere" and it stuck. It probably helped that as I got going I cultivated a community of readers who were following along with the journey. I couldn't just say to them, "Thanks for caring, but I'm done now."
Would you recommend this to anyone else?
Sure, I'd recommend it to anyone who felt passionate and eager to see the world. They'd also need to be fairly determined and patient, since there is an endless loop of logistics to untangle.
Perhaps more importantly, I'd say that everyone can pursue a quest or big dream. Not everyone wants to visit every country in the world, but we all have dreams. Converting the dreams to real life is what this project has been all about for me.
How many people do you know of who have been to every country? I can’t imagine that there are too many human beings who have undertaken this extraordinary journey.
I think there are about 100 or so people in total who have done it. I don't know any of them personally.
Were any of the countries surprisingly easy to get to (or surprisingly hard?)
Both! Overall I was surprised at how easy it is to get almost anywhere, once you set your mind to it and figure it out. Memorizing airline schedules and visa regulations became a hobby for me when I was first starting to travel, and that helped a lot. However, there were also numerous countries that proved very difficult. Angola was hard... in Eritrea I was deported... in Nauru I was denied boarding at the Brisbane airport... and the list goes on.
What was your favorite meal? What about your least favorite?
I became vegetarian about halfway through the journey. At first I thought it would be restrictive and difficult, but for the most part it wasn't. I have fond memories of seeking out Indian restaurants all over the world, which became my favorite cuisine. As for least favorite, well, I was served goat in Somaliland in a situation where it was difficult to decline. I'd love to say I became a huge fan of eating goat, but that wouldn't be true.
What was your most memorable sleeping arrangement?
The ones that seem memorable also seem miserable. I spent a lot of nights (far too many) camped out on the floor of an airport in a developing country. There's basically no good way to do that. These experiences build character, or so they say, but I have no desire to repeat them. Otherwise, I enjoyed sleeping overnight on trains, especially through India and Eastern Europe.
The same way earth looked different to people when they saw the first picture of our planet from space, do you see the world differently now that you’ve been to every country?
That's a great question. I'm pretty sure the answer is yes, but I'm not sure how best to articulate it yet. One of the other things I've learned through writing about quests is that people often don't realize several core lessons from their journey until they've had some time and distance from it. Right now I still feel like I’m in "constant travel mode" even though it's almost done.
How did you define “country?” for this trip?
I used the U.N. standard. There were 192 countries when I started, and one was added (more on that in a moment). I've also been to plenty of regions, islands, and culturally distinct places that don't technically count as member countries: Taiwan, Kosovo, Kurdistan, etc.
What countries seemed the most foreign/unfamiliar?
China still seems very unfamiliar to me, at least compared to the "China Light" cultures of Hong Kong and Singapore which are much more comfortable as a Westerner. Much of the Russian-speaking world, including the "stan" countries, also seemed unfamiliar and intimidating at first. As I kept going back, it got easier.
Will you feel compelled to visit any new countries that get created after your final trip?
Probably. The thing about new countries is that they don't actually come along that often. There are always breakaway regions and semi-autonomous republics, but most of them don't get recognized by the U.N., which is the standard I used for my quest. The last one was South Sudan, and before that East Timor.
How do you feel as you head off to Norway?
"It's complicated"— but it's mostly good. There's a bittersweet feeling that comes with ending a long journey. I'm writing a book on quests now and it seems that a sense of alienation and discontent is common after you complete something you've been working on for a long period of time. However, it's also exciting. I am indeed glad to be almost done and eager for new projects.
Who is going with you? 150 people--family, friends, fans? Who are they?
About ten of them are family and close friends. The rest are my readers! About a year ago I started hearing from people who said they had blocked off the calendar to come to my last country (because it was always set for a fixed date of my 35th birthday, we knew in advance when it would be). I wasn't sure anyone would actually follow-through and buy a plane ticket to Norway, but apparently a lot of people did. We'll find out for sure on Sunday night.
Are people *really* the same wherever you go? If so, what is the common tie? If not, why not?
I'm glad you asked, because I think that's a total misconception. It's something people say when they first travel somewhere and discover that all over the world, mothers love their children and everyone loves to eat. The point is, yes, on the surface level there are similarities, but there are also some real differences.
I'm not sure there are average people, but for the sake of argument let's use that phrase. The average woman who grows up in China will have a very different worldview and set of experiences than the average man who grows up in sub-saharan Africa, just as those of us who grow up in North America, Britain, or Australia will have a different experience than someone in Russia. We're all shaped by our own unique set of experiences and values, many of which are cultural or situational.
Instead of pretending that everyone is the same, I think it's better to acknowledge that some beliefs and lifestyles vary considerably as you go around the world. And that's what makes it fun, right? We don't really want people to be the same anywhere.