Where I’ve Been

“I was 19 when my grandmother’s youngest brother turned 75. Uncle Jim, dressed in coat tails and a top hat, greeted his many guests with a tap dance and his famous smile. In his speech, he talked about his military career, his stint living in Europe, his kids and grandchildren, and his most formative experiences. He had traveled to 82 countries all around the world, and I decided that, apart from having his blue eyes, I would also visit 75 nations by the time I reached three-quarters of a century.

Hitting 75 foreign countries is daunting when you’re a college sophomore, so I scaled down my goal: 25 countries before August 15th, 2010. I had five-and-a-half years, a summer abroad in Spain and a blank passport. Ten North American and European countries gave me a good head start.

After studying abroad, I hit a stalemate. Still at ten countries, having chosen domestic travel, I decided to move abroad after graduating. I found a job as a North American Language Assistant in Spain, working 12 hours a week at a rural high school outside Seville.

I reached my goal on March 31st, 2010, on my best friend’s birthday, interestingly. She and I have traveled to Europe together for the first time, and we’ve challenged each other to this seemingly monumental task. I sighed with relief as I entered Prague’s central bus station at dawn, feeling like I’d run a marathon. I did it.

“My memories seem to take over as my possessions as I continue to move around the Earth.”

(original article published on Backpacking Matt on July 19th, 2010)

When I moved abroad at age 22, my goals were simple: to learn Spanish and to make it to 25 countries before my 25th birthday on August 15th, 2010. Along the way, I’ve picked up countless momentos, experienced things I’d never imagined trying or doing, ate food that might have made a normal person gag, and felt the exhilaration of setting foot in a new place, ready to be explored through the lenses of my trusty Canon Rebel, Camarón.

On March 25th, 2013, a disgruntled border patrol in Montenegro stamped my beat-up passport with extra pages. The stamp is barely legible, but it’s there. I reached 30 countries 30 months before turning 30, so here’s to another five in those months!

In August 2025, I will reach a new milestone – turning 40. After several years dedicated to a paying 9-5 and a non-paid job as a parent to two adventurous boys, I am looking forward to garnering two new passports, one as a Spanish citizen and another as a diplomatic family as we take a job in the Gulf region. That’s right, habibi – we are moving to Saudi Arabia!

My new goal is to tally up five more stamps in my passport this next year, one for every country we are authorized in. Filling my first passport – the one I was given at age 20 that contains my original visa from Spain – was the realization of a dream to see the world. Feels pretty cool to say I have lived in Spain, France and, shortly, KSA.

 

CURRENT COUNTRY COUNT – 39

LATEST COUNTRY: USA for family visits; Bulgaria was my last passport stamp before welcoming my second child in 2019.

NEXT TRIP –  To the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for a three year stint at diplos!

 

Where I’ve been (asterisk denotes residency of six months or more):

NORTH AMERICA (3)

• United States*
• Canada
• Mexico

AFRICA (1)

• Morocco

ASIA (3)

• China
• India
• Turkey

CARRIBEAN / ATLANTIC (3)

Aruba

The Bahamas

The Canary Islands

EUROPE (29)

• Spain*
• France*
• Andorra
• Austria
• Balearic Islands (Ibiza)
• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Croatia
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• England
• Germany
• Greece
• Gibraltar
• Hungary
• Ireland
• Italy
• Monaco
• Montenegro
• The Netherlands
• Portugal
• Romania
• Scotland
• Sicily
• Slovakia
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Turkey
• Vatican City

 

(Note: I use the Traveler’s Century Club‘s country list to base my conclusions on whether or not a territory is, in fact, considered a country, hence the inclusion of Monaco, the Vatican City and others).