By 25, one San Diegan visited every country on Earth — here's what he found

San Diego's Cameron Mofid set out on an audacious quest: to break the record for being the youngest person to visit every country in the world. His journey took him to 195 nations, from peaceful capitals to conflict zones few dare to enter. Along the way, he faced moments of danger and discovery, including assuming a fake identity in Yemen to navigating a terrorist threat in Somalia and making a buzzer-beater, last-minute entry into North Korea.But for Cameron, the record was only part of the story. His travels became a powerful lesson in privilege, perspective and humanity — and inspired him to give back. He launched Humanity Effect, a nonprofit that has built multiple schools in Nigeria. In this episode, Cameron reflects on the risks he took and the barriers he overcame. He shares the truths he discovered about the world, explores what it means to connect across borders and why these lessons matter for all of us.Guest:Cameron Mofid, youngest person to travel to all 195 countries in the world, founder of Humanity EffectSources:Everyone Who Has Ever Been to Space (Clara Moskowitz and Zane Wolf, Scientific American, 2025)Ultimate Report on People Who Visited Every Country in the World (NomadMania, 2025)Three Spanish tourists killed in central Afghanistan gun attack 17 (Thomas Mackintosh, BBC News, 2024)Counter Terrorism Guide: Terrorist Groups, Al-Shabaab (Office of the Director of National Intelligence)Attitudes on an Interconnected World, International travel (Richard Wike, Janell Fetterolf, Moira Fagan and Sneha Gubbala, Pew Research Center, 2023)When in Rome ... Learn Why the Romans Do What They Do: How Multicultural Learning Experiences Facilitate Creativity (William W. Maddux, Hajo Adam and Adam D. Galinsky, Sage Journals, 2010)The Mental Benefits of Vacationing Somewhere New (Todd B. Kashdan, Harvard Business Review, 2018)A Meta-Analytic Test of Intergroup Contact Theory (Thomas F. Pettigrew and Linda R. Tropp, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2005)"Maybe we did not learn that much academically, but we learn more from experience" – Erasmus mobility and its potential for transformative learning (Cosmin I. Nada and Justyna Legutko, International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 2022)Pack Your Bags and Travel: It's Good for You (Elizabeth A. Segal, Ph.D., Psychology Today 2022)Americans who have traveled internationally stand out in their views and knowledge of foreign affairs (Richard Wike and Janell Fetterolf, Pew Research Center, 2023)What is a Visit. Minimal Requirements according to NomadMania Rules (NomadMania, 2023)NomadMania Travel ListsWhat Is the Newest Country in the World? (Amy McKenna, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2011)Venezuelan embassy run by opposition in US closes after Guaido ouster (Jennifer Hansler, CNN, 2023)The Taliban in Afghanistan (Lindsay Maizland, Council on Foreign Relations, 2025)North Korea halts foreign tourism weeks after reopening to Western visitors (Peter Guo, NBC News, 2025)Makoko: 'Venice of Lagos' (Olamide Udoma, Smart Cities Dive)Chime Community Spotlight: Kyrie Irving recognized for civic contributions (Tamara Jolee, NBA, 2023)North Korea holds first Pyongyang International Marathon since borders were sealed during COVID pandemic (Anhelina Shamlii, CBS News, 2025)10 Times America Helped Overthrow a Foreign Government (Becky Little, History.com, 2025)Hostile Acts U.S. Policy in Costa Rica in the 1980s (Martha Honey, 1994)