After visiting every country in the world, I have a new perspective on life. Here's where I chose to settle down.
This tourist is part of the exclusive club of people who have visited every country in the world. The seemingly endless journey took 20 years of her life, but according to her, it allowed her to discover an incredible diversity of cultures and lifestyles. Gina Morello finally shared her experience and what she learned from it about her outlook on life with The Insider. She also revealed her final choice: to settle in a completely different country from the United States, her native country.
How do you begin a 20-year journey across the globe? For Gina Morello, it all began with a passion for scuba diving that blossomed into a true love of travel. Throughout her travels, from India to Vietnam, via Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, Gina learned to appreciate cultural differences. She cites small everyday gestures, such as greetings at meetings in Pakistan, as experiences that helped her understand the values that shape behaviors specific to each culture.
When traveling far, it's best to travel light. This idea has become her motto, both for her luggage and for life. Having fewer material possessions allows for greater adaptability and resilience in the face of change. For Gina Morello, one choice has become clear over the years: wealth comes not from what you own but from the experiences you have, like a shared meal in Yemen or a musical celebration on a remote island.
It was in December 2020, when she crossed the border into Mozambique, that Gina became one of the few women to have visited every country in the world. Time to go home?
A year later, at the end of 2021, between job loss, divorce, and the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, Gina found herself at a crossroads in her life. Looking at a map of the United States, nothing appealed to her. She realized then that her values were no longer aligned with her country, particularly Texas, where she had lived for more than 20 years. Her travels had changed her perspective in ways she never anticipated, according to her confessions to The Insider.
She then set out to find a new way of life with a better work-life balance, less consumerism, a sense of security, priority given to walking and public transport, healthier food, and affordable access to healthcare. And she found that feeling in Portugal!
After considering several destinations such as Georgia, Turkey, and Mexico, she chose Portugal for its leisurely pace of life, mild and sunny climate, and, according to her, its outward-looking culture. Lisbon, in particular, appealed to her with its local hospitality, access to nature, availability of fresh produce, and ease of getting around on foot.
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