Lucy Hsu, a second-grade teacher in San Jose, California, has become one of the few people in the world to visit all 193 countries on Earth. She visited her last country, Syria, in May 2023, after waiting for it to be open to Americans. Hsu got her first passport at 23 and developed a passion for travel, deciding to visit a new country every summer. As she traveled, she discovered cost-saving strategies, such as volunteer exchange programs and homestays, to make her trips more affordable. She joined travel clubs and set goals, initially aiming to visit 100 countries before deciding to reach all 193.
One of Hsu’s biggest challenges was staying on a budget while traveling to multiple countries. She used websites like Workaway to find volunteer opportunities and HostelWorld to book affordable accommodations. She often stayed in hostels or worked at hostels in exchange for room and board. Additionally, she earned credit card points for travel rewards and took low-cost buses and trains to cross borders. She believes that travel is more attainable than people think and wants to spread knowledge about budget-conscious travel, especially for minority women like herself in the international travel community.
Hsu has visited all 193 countries, and her favorite trips include Mongolia, where she stayed with a local family in the Gobi Desert, and Kenya, where she spent several months with a Kenyan family and traveled around Eastern Africa. She appreciates the lessons she learns from her travels, which help her have a greater sense of gratitude for what she has. Hsu also shares tips for staying safe while traveling solo or visiting less touristy destinations, emphasizing the importance of research and relying on recommendations from experienced travelers.
Although Hsu has visited every nation on Earth, including Antarctica, she still has plans to continue traveling. She is interested in traveling on a cargo ship and exploring new cities and regions in countries she has previously visited. Hsu’s journey to visit all 193 countries demonstrates that with proper planning, budgeting, and research, travel is more achievable than many people realize. By sharing her experiences and tips, she hopes to inspire others, especially minority women, to explore the world and appreciate the lessons and gratitude that come with experiencing different cultures and environments.
