A Georgia Tech Alum's Quest To Visit Every Country
By: Kristin Baird Rattini Photographs Courtesy of Brandon Cox, Mgt 03 | Categories: Alumni Interest
Cox didn’t initially set out to join the ranks of the roughly 400 “country collectors” who’ve visited every nation. Instead, he initially set goals each year to force himself to explore new countries—not just places he already knew. His early travels to off-the-beaten-path destinations were inspired by a memorable encounter in Seoul, South Korea, in 2003, while participating in Georgia Tech’s Pacific Study Abroad Program. Cox befriended a young Korean woman whose family was painfully separated on both sides of the border between North and South Korea. “I started traveling with the intent to better understand what drives conflict and that separation,” he says. He visited North Korea in 2006, one of the first Americans allowed in during a brief thaw in diplomatic relations.
His work in integrating international joint ventures for airlines fueled his wanderlust and paved the way for his expanding explorations by temporarily
relocating him to Europe. Today, he posts about his travels on Instagram under the handle @nothing_declared. “There are so many amazing things to see in the world,” he says.
He backpacked across the entire length of Africa, crossing 20-plus countries and three active war zones. In Mozambique, he scuba-dived with whale sharks in the morning and manta rays in the afternoon. His 2023 solo trip to Afghanistan—after the Taliban takeover—was an enlightening journey along the ancient Silk Road but also “terrifying at times,” he admits, with countless checkpoints with armed guards who weren’t used to seeing an American traveler. In Mongolia, he and his wife, Emily, sledded down enormous sand dunes and happened upon a local Naadam festival showcasing the national sports of archery, horse racing, and wrestling. “You need a balance of easy places you love but also places that get you out of your comfort zone,” he says. “Otherwise, you don’t grow; you don’t learn.”
He has learned to keep a “go shelf” of essentials so he doesn’t forget anything, a lesson learned after forgetting a coat for Antarctica. (“I was packing in the middle of summer,” he says.) And he also has learned the many challenges that can make his best-laid plans go awry. Logistics complicated travel to the remote Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan; he had to cross overland from India instead of flying direct. Travel restrictions have delayed his travels to Mali, one of his last countries, where he’s eager to see the Great Mosque of Djenné.
Upon finally arriving in Damascus, Syria, in the fall of 2024 after two postponements, he drew on his sommelier training when sampling local wines, and he explored Roman ruins. “Syria is now one of my top 10 countries,” he says. “I wouldn’t have known how incredible of a destination it is if I hadn’t gone.”
How many countries have you visited? Use our world countries checklist to keep track of your travels and to plan your next trip with the Georgia Tech Alumni Travel Program.
