When it comes to dream jobs, this woman has ours.
Cassandra De Pecol is on a mission to visit every country in the globe – and by doing so, she’s on the brink of a world record.
The 27-year-old American set off from her home in July 2015, and is currently in country No 181 on her 196-nation-long list.
And it’s not just for jollies, oh no – the activist is doing it all to raise awareness for peace and sustainability.
De Pecol is travelling as an Ambassador for Peace on behalf of the International Institute for Peace Through Tourism, and has 40 more days to visit the remaining 15 countries on her list.
If she achieves that, she’ll become the first documented female as well as the fastest traveller to visit all 196 countries (which includes all 193 sovereign nations plus Taiwan, Kosovo and Palestine).
A photo posted by ᶜᴬˢˢᴬᴺᴰᴿᴬ ᴰᴱ ᴾᴱᶜᴼᴸ (@expedition_196) on
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The incredible journey, which she’s titled Expedition196, has seen De Pecol take more than 254 flights so far. The trip itself has cost around US$200,000 (Dhs735,000), but the bill has been covered by a range of investors and sponsors in return for coverage.
De Pecol’s been filming a documentary while on the road, and she’s also gathering samples for Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation, a non-profit organisation.
The American’s first stop on her whopping itinerary was Palau, and she still has a range of mostly African counties to check off her to-see list, including Chad, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea and Nigeria.
“Since school, I’ve had this desire to visit every country in the world, intrigued to learn more about every culture, natural habitat, and religion,” De Pecol told the Daily Mail.
“In America we are lucky to have such a vast melting pot of cultures and people from all over the world who make the country what it is today. I wondered what existed outside of North America and what it was like. Is the Middle East really like how they say it is on the news? What about the Amazon?
“Going to every country was for me a personal quest to learn as much as I could about our world, stepping outside my comfort zone and becoming comfortable in the unknown, while also aiming to leave a legacy behind.”
A photo posted by ᶜᴬˢˢᴬᴺᴰᴿᴬ ᴰᴱ ᴾᴱᶜᴼᴸ (@expedition_196) on
The American has already taken in the UAE during her travels, and visited Dubai in March of this year.
She toured the desert, and bonded with a falcon, according to her snaps.
Desert vibes 🐪 • • • #Expedition196 #PeaceThroughTourism #EveryCountryInTheWorld #Dubai
A photo posted by ᶜᴬˢˢᴬᴺᴰᴿᴬ ᴰᴱ ᴾᴱᶜᴼᴸ (@expedition_196) on
De Pecol says she spends two to five days per destination, so if all goes to plan, she should have time to finish her expedition in the next 40 days.
“I just hope that I’m able to inspire young women (and men) around the world to go after goals and feats that so far, people think can only be done by man.”
Image: Cassandra De Pecol/Instagram
