THE ROAD TO 195: WHY I’M DETERMINED TO VISIT EVERY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD

I was born and raised in the southeastern quadrant of Washington, DC, and no matter how many countries I visit, DC will always be HOME! I love my city. I love my country. And quite frankly, I don’t think I would ever want to permanently live outside of the United States. But there is something about being home that makes me want to leave again. It's not because I’m unhappy at home. It’s because I know there’s an entire world out there waiting for me to discover it.

Some people travel to escape their lives. I travel because I want to experience as much of life as possible. And somewhere along the way, my love for traveling turned into a mission. A mission to visit every country in the world. All 195 of them! But to understand why this goal means so much to me, you have to understand how the journey began.

BEFORE THE ROAD TO 195, THERE WERE THE 50 STATES

I’ve always loved traveling. However, when I first started traveling, I did what many people do. I visited the same destinations over and over again. Mexico. Aruba. New Orleans. Don’t get me wrong. I enjoyed every trip! But looking back, I sometimes think about how much more of the world I could have experienced if I had ventured beyond the familiar.

One summer, my best friend Nichole and I decided to do something different. As educators, we came up with an idea that we affectionately called our “Educators’ Field Trips.” We were going to visit all 50 states! We called ourselves Thelma and Louise. And just like that, we had a goal, a plan, and plenty of adventures ahead of us. We traveled, laughed, explored, and made memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

I loved everything about our little mission. I loved researching destinations, creating itineraries, discovering new places, and checking another state off our list. But what I loved most was having my best friend by my side. Unfortunately, life doesn’t always follow the itinerary we create. Nichole passed away before we could finish our journey. When she died, I still had 12 states left to visit. For a while, completing our goal without her was difficult to imagine. The person who had helped me dream up this adventure would not be there to cross the finish line. But I knew I had to finish what we started. So, I continued traveling. State by state. Memory by memory. And when I finally reached my 50th state, Alaska, I celebrated not just the accomplishment, but the friendship that inspired it. I had a small celebration in Nichole’s honor because, although she wasn’t physically there, she was still very much a part of that moment. We started the journey together, and I carried her with me across the finish line. 

Completing all 50 states taught me something important about myself. I am a goal-oriented woman. I love having something to work toward. I love the planning, the anticipation, the challenges, and the satisfaction of accomplishing something I once only imagined. But more importantly, I discovered that travel was about so much more than reaching a destination. It was about the journey and the person I was becoming along the way. And once I finished exploring all 50 states, I started thinking…What’s next? Little did I know that the answer would come from a book.

THE BOOK THAT CHANGED MY TRAVEL GOALS

I’ve always believed in the power of books. After all, I’m an educator first! And sometimes the right book finds you at exactly the right moment. While traveling through Chile and Argentina during spring break, I began reading The Catch Me If You Can: One Woman’s Journey to Every Country in the World by Jessica Nabongo. Jessica Nabongo is recognized as the first Black woman to travel to every country in the world. As I read about her adventures, the cultures she experienced, the people she encountered, and the challenges she overcame, I found myself becoming increasingly inspired. Here was a Black woman who had accomplished something extraordinary. She had traveled to 195 countries! And as I turned the pages, a thought began forming in my mind. If she can do it, why can’t I? Now, I wasn’t new to international travel. I had already visited numerous countries and had developed a genuine love for experiencing different cultures. But until that moment, I had never seriously considered visiting EVERY country. Jessica’s story challenged me to think bigger. To dream beyond the familiar. To stop asking where I wanted to vacation next and start asking what parts of the world I had yet to discover.

By the time I finished the book, I had made a decision. I was going to visit all 195 countries in the world! Not because I wanted to compete with anyone. Not because I wanted to collect passport stamps for social media. And certainly not because I thought every country would be a luxurious vacation. I wanted to do it because I believed the experience would change how I saw the world. And perhaps, through sharing my experiences, I could change how other people saw it, too.

EVERY COUNTRY HAS SOMETHING TO TEACH ME

One of the most valuable lessons I took from Jessica’s journey was that no country is entirely good or entirely bad. No destination is completely safe or completely unsafe. Every country has beauty. Every country has challenges. Every country has a history worth understanding. And every country has people whose stories deserve to be heard. I think we sometimes allow what we see on television, read on social media, or hear from other people to shape our perceptions of places we’ve never visited. We hear about poverty, crime, political unrest, or conflict, and we decide that an entire country has nothing to offer. But I refuse to believe that any country can be defined by a single narrative.

My goal is to find the joy in every country I visit. That doesn’t mean ignoring the challenges. It doesn’t mean pretending that every experience is wonderful. And it certainly doesn’t mean being careless about my safety. It means approaching each destination with curiosity, respect, and an open mind. I want to understand how people live. What they eat. What they celebrate. What they believe. What makes them laugh. What brings them joy. What challenges they face. And what we have in common despite living thousands of miles apart. I have discovered that people around the world are often far more alike than we are different. We may speak different languages, practice different traditions, and live under different circumstances, but our humanity connects us. The more I travel, the more I realize how much we can learn from one another.

THE BEAUTY OF GOING PLACES I NEVER CONSIDERED

One of the unexpected benefits of my Road to 195 journey is that it has pushed me outside my travel comfort zone. Before setting this goal, there were countries I probably never would have considered visiting. Not because I had anything against them, but simply because they weren’t on my radar. I didn’t know enough about them. They weren’t the destinations people around me were talking about. And they certainly weren’t places I regularly saw advertised as vacation hotspots. But when your goal is to visit every country, you have to expand your thinking. You can’t keep going to the same five destinations and expect to experience the world. And here’s what I’ve discovered: Some of the places I never imagined visiting have become some of my favorite destinations! That’s one of the greatest gifts this journey has given me. It has taught me not to limit my experiences based on familiarity. Sometimes the destination you know the least about becomes the one that teaches you the most. And sometimes the country you had the lowest expectations for becomes the one you can’t stop talking about. That’s the beauty of exploration. You don’t always know what you’re going to find. And I love that!

PASSPORT PRINCESS, LLC: MORE THAN A TRAVEL BUSINESS

People sometimes ask me why I started my travel agency, Passport Princess, LLC. Let me make something clear. I didn’t start Passport Princess because I thought I was going to get rich selling vacations. I started it because I wanted to create opportunities to support my own travel while helping other people experience the world. But over time, it became something much bigger. Passport Princess became a platform. A platform to share my experiences. A platform to introduce people to destinations they may never have considered. A platform to educate others about different cultures, histories, traditions, and ways of life. And a platform to encourage people, particularly those from communities like the one where I grew up, to see beyond the borders of their everyday experiences.

I often refer to myself as “The Columbus of DC.” Now, before anybody gets started, I know these countries were here long before I arrived! I’m not discovering countries that don’t already exist. I’m discovering them for myself and sharing those discoveries with the people back home. That’s why I say: “I travel the world to discover other countries for the people in my hometown of DC.” Every time I share a photograph, write about a cultural experience, recommend a restaurant, or tell a story about a destination, I hope someone learns something new. Maybe they’ll add that country to their bucket list. Maybe they’ll challenge a stereotype they’ve always believed. Maybe they’ll become curious enough to research a culture they knew nothing about. Or maybe they’ll simply realize that the world is much bigger than the neighborhood, city, or country they call home. And that brings me to something that will always be central to who I am.

I am an educator FIRST. I’ve spent my professional life believing that education can transform lives. And I believe travel is one of the most powerful forms of education available. The world is my classroom. Every country is a lesson. Every interaction is an opportunity to learn. And every experience gives me something new to share.I genuinely believe the world would be a better place if more people took the time to learn about one another. Because it’s much harder to fear, stereotype, or dismiss people when you’ve taken the time to understand their humanity.

TRAVEL IS FREEDOM, AND I DON’T TAKE THAT LIGHTLY

There’s another reason this journey means so much to me. And this one is deeply personal. Traveling is a form of freedom. Every time I board an airplane, cross an international border, or have my passport stamped, I am reminded of something. My ancestors didn’t have this freedom. There was a time when enslaved Black people in America needed written permission, often called a slave pass, simply to travel beyond the plantation or area where they were held. Imagine that. Needing permission to move. Needing permission to leave. Needing permission to go somewhere simply because you wanted to. And now, generations later, here I am. A Black woman from Southeast Washington, DC, traveling around the world because I CAN. Not because someone gave me permission. Not because someone decided I was worthy of the experience. But because I have the freedom, determination, and opportunity to do so. That reality is never lost on me. My ancestors needed a pass to travel. I carry a passport. Whew! Sometimes I think about that while standing in an airport, looking at the departures board. All those destinations. All those possibilities. All those borders waiting to be crossed. I think about the sacrifices that were made long before I was born. The people who dreamed of freedoms they would never personally experience. And I feel an even greater responsibility to live fully. To explore. To learn. To experience. To go places my ancestors could never have imagined. For me, every passport stamp represents more than another country checked off a list. It represents freedom, possibility, and the privilege of movement that generations before me were denied. And I don’t ever want to take that for granted.

IT’S ABOUT MORE THAN CHECKING COUNTRIES OFF A LIST

Now, don’t get me wrong. I absolutely love adding another country to my list! I love announcing my country numbers. I love the excitement of arriving somewhere new. And I love watching that number get closer and closer to 195. I’m goal-oriented, remember?  But somewhere along this journey, I’ve come to understand that the number is only part of the story. The real value is in the experiences between the passport stamps. It's the conversations with strangers who become friends. The meals that introduce me to flavors I’ve never tasted. The historical sites that challenge what I thought I knew. The cultural traditions that remind me there are many ways to experience life. The breathtaking landscapes. The unexpected adventures. And yes, even the disappointments. Because every destination isn’t going to be my favorite. Every meal isn’t going to be delicious. Every hotel isn’t going to meet my expectations. And every experience isn’t going to be worthy of a five-star review. I’m going to tell you about those experiences, too! I believe in sharing the good, the bad, and the unexpected. I can love a country and still acknowledge the things I didn’t enjoy about visiting it. That’s part of being an authentic traveler. I don’t travel to prove that every place is perfect. I travel to discover what makes every place unique. And with each new country, I become a little more curious, a little more knowledgeable, and a lot more appreciative of the world we share.

THE ROAD TO 195 CONTINUES…

As I write this, I’ve visited 58 countries, and I still have a long way to go. Some people might look at that number and focus on how many countries I have left. I look at it and think about how much I’ve already experienced. Fifty-eight countries. Fifty-eight opportunities to learn. Fifty-eight chapters in a story that is still being written. And 137 more countries waiting for me to discover them. Will I make it to all 195? That’s the GOAL! I don’t know exactly how long it will take. I don’t know what challenges I’ll encounter. I don’t know which countries will become my favorites or which experiences will test my patience. But I know this. I’m going to enjoy the journey. I’m going to continue sharing what I learn. I’m going to encourage others to explore beyond what they know. And I’m going to keep reminding people that you don’t have to be born into wealth or grow up traveling internationally to develop a love for seeing the world.

I’m just a girl from Southeast DC who developed a passion for exploring the world and decided to turn that passion into a purpose. And if my journey inspires even one person to apply for a passport, visit a new country, challenge a misconception, or dream a little bigger, then sharing my story will have been worth it. Because ultimately, The Road to 195 isn’t just about how many countries I can visit. Its about how much I can learn. How many people I can connect with. How many barriers I can break. And how many people I can inspire along the way. I started this journey because I wanted to see the world. I’m continuing it because the world has changed the way I see myself, other people, and what’s possible. And to think, it all started with two educators who called themselves Thelma and Louise, a goal to visit 50 states, a best friend who will forever be part of my journey, and a book that challenged me to dream even bigger. Nichole, we finished the 50 states. Now I’m taking on the world! And I have a feeling the best adventures are still ahead. 195 countries. One passport. Endless possibilities. And this Passport Princess is just getting started! Until the Next Passport Stamp…

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I’m The Passport Princess, Dr. Pea, also known as The Columbus of DC, a lifelong educator, travel enthusiast, and founder of Passport Princess, LLC.

I’m on a mission to visit all 195 countries in the world, one adventure, one culture, and one passport stamp at a time.

Through this blog, I’ll share my travel experiences, favorite destinations, cultural discoveries, honest reviews, travel tips, and the lessons I learn along the way.

Because the world is too big to keep going to the same places, and life is too short not to explore it!

🌍 Country Count: 58/195

🇺🇸 U.S. States: 50/50 — COMPLETE!

✈️ Next Stop: Wherever the Passport Takes Me!

Come Travel With Pea!

Follow Passport Princess LLC, on Facebook at Passport Princess and Instagram at Passport Princess for upcoming trips and travel tips.