With just fifteen countries to go, 27-year-old Cassandra De Pecol is set to become the first woman to visit all 196 countries in the world. Having visited 181 countries, De Pecol is about to complete her journey, Expedition196, which she started in July last year with the Pacific island of Palau.
De Pecol, who hails from Connecticut, travels as an International Institute for Peace through Tourism Ambassador for Peace. Funded through the help of several sponsors, her ambitious trip has so far cost approximately around $200,000.
Aiming to break the Guinness World Record for fastest person to travel to all Sovereign Nations, De Pecol has to cover the rest of her destinations in less than six weeks. She even added 11 countries more than the previous record.
“As a young woman, I’d always dreamed to travel to as many countries as possible and make our world a better place,” De Pecol wrote on her website. “It bothered me though, that I could never figure out how to ignite this inner fire and make it happen.”
After some deep soul-searching and completing some personal milestones, she then decided to buy a huge world map and started planning her trip.
“The initial goal of traveling to every single country is not nearly as meaningful as was at the start. Looking into the eyes of the youth and hearing them realize their potential and limitless possibilities through listening to me speak — this is what I live for.”
A photo posted by ᶜᴬˢˢᴬᴺᴰᴿᴬ ᴰᴱ ᴾᴱᶜᴼᴸ (@expedition_196) on Oct 28, 2016 at 11:40am PDT
Apart from experiencing beautiful cultures and sceneries, De Pecol also encountered and wrote about the harsh realities people from other countries face on the daily basis.
“To be honest, I’m trying desperately to focus on the good, but sometimes I find that I have to just let the mental challenge of it all run its course,” De Pecol wrote on her Instagram account.
“I’m sure that many of you can relate to the feelings that I have; the nightmares and the sadness when it comes to seeing and experiencing certain things that are very challenging to comprehend. That being war, famine, harassment, unfairness, brutality, etc.”
Still, De Pecol continues to explore the rest of the world with open eyes.
“I look forward to also sharing the more somber of times, hoping that we can cultivate positive change as a result.”