This archive report was first published on 11 July 2019.
Ugandan-American Jessica Nabongo Nears Milestone of Visiting Every Country in the World ¶
July 11, 2019
Ugandan-American Jessica Nabongo is well on her way to becoming the first African to travel across the world, having visited 180 countries so far.
Her journey began when her parents took her to London and Uganda at the age of six, sparking her wanderlust.
"My parents normalized it in advance," Nabongo recalled in a 2019 interview with Airbnb Magazine. "I think this turned into wanderlust because my parents never made a big deal out of travel. It was like, 'It's summer, we're going to go to Mexico,' or 'We're going to go to Jamaica,' or 'We're going to the Bahamas.' Sometimes they left us and went and travelled. So travelling wasn't a big deal or something to be fearful of."
From Uganda to the World ¶
Nabongo's love for travelling followed her as she attended St. John's University in New York, where she earned her undergraduate degree in English literature.
She later moved to Japan to teach English and developed her photography skills and interest in travel and writing along the way.
Nabongo eventually started her blog and brand, 'The Catch Me If You Can', where she shares her story and builds a community.
She also established Jet Black, a travel firm that focuses on tourism in Africa, Central and South America, and the Caribbean in 2015.
Travelling the world
Nabongo first got the idea to visit all the 195 UN member countries in 2017, when she had travelled to about 60 countries.
She fully committed to her ambitious quest of travelling all over the world when she publicly announced her plans in March 2018.
"Even if I'm there for 48 hours, I link up with a local person and have them take me around," Nabongo said. "I ask a lot of questions and really just try to understand and learn about a country from the perspective of a local. A lot of the time, I don't have a list of things to do. I'm like, 'Look, I'm in your country – show me what I need to see! Tell me about your country."
Support and Future Plans ¶
Nabongo's adventures are funded with her money, miles, supportive brands, and a gofundme page that is no longer active.
"People have already been like, 'how can we help, what can we do?' People want to see me win and that has been humbling," Nabongo said.
She hopes to be in Seychelles spending time with her family and close friends on October 6, 2019, her late father's birthday.
Asked how she expects to feel upon fulfilling her incredible mission, Nabongo told Wanderlust Magazine, "I hope to feel empowered! This is just the beginning. I really have no idea what I'll do next. At this point, I just want to do nothing for the next two months, and especially no more laundry!"
