Angola

Angola’s capital, Luanda, surprised me. Fueled by the country’s oil industry, it was far more modern than I expected and one of the most expensive cities I’d visited in Africa. Looking to explore the capital and its outskirts, I asked my hotel if they knew a local driver, and they put me in touch with a man named Sapalo. Since Angola is a Portuguese-speaking country, I expected we’d have to rely on Google Translate. Instead, we communicated just fine in Spanish. I speak it nearly fluently, and so did Sapalo, thanks to his many Cuban friends.

Sapalo did a great job showing me around, but what stuck with me most was his love for the United States. He had an American flag stretched across his windshield and proudly showed me photos of himself and his family wearing clothing decorated with American flags. He told me it had always been his dream to visit the United States. Seeing how much someone could dream of simply visiting my home country reminded me not to take for granted the opportunities that come with being born there.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Angola. Surprisingly, though, one of the most important moments of my visit came as I was leaving, when I shared a ride to the airport with another hotel guest named Phil. As we talked, I learned he was also trying to visit every country in the world. He introduced me to NomadMania and Every Passport Stamp, communities of travelers pursuing the same goal who share advice, routes, and information. Joining those communities gave me the knowledge and resources I needed to visit some of the world’s most difficult countries. More than anything, though, they introduced me to lifelong friends who made the journey to every country so much more meaningful.