Global Citizen_10 countries by 25 years old

#1 Sri Lanka

Until 2012 I have only visited Sri Lanka, my own country. But after joining AIESEC I got the chance to travel to Indonesia. My parents, relatives didn’t want me to go to Indonesia because they believed Indonesia is full of natural disasters. But somehow I convinced them and finally went to Indonesia.

I entered to the Sri Lankan airport and I still remember I was so excited but the same time I was nervous, I didn’t know what exactly to do. Somehow I got into the airplane and it was a very new experience for me. I didn’t know how to operate the screen or whether I will get food on the plane or anything. When we were taking off the plane I was having ear pain and I didn’t know what it was.

Somehow we landed to Makassar, Indonesia but unfortunately my luggage didn’t arrive to the airport. At first I got really frustrated, because I was in a total different country for the first time in my life and I lost everything. But then I started to calm down and I went to the baggage claim office and reported it.

And then finally I went outside of the airport and bunch of AIESECers from Indonesia was waiting for me.

My experience in Indonesia was really great, I had explored many things and I haven’t experienced any natural disasters, even I went to see a volcano. And I started to realize that there can be many perspectives or opinions about different countries, people, and cultures but if you want to know the truth you have to experience them. And having differences is not bad, difference is just difference.

#2 Indonesia 

After coming back to Sri Lanka I started to work in AIESEC again, maybe with proper clarity of why and I started to love travelling, meeting new people, understanding different cultures. And oneday I have made a promise to myself and added to my bucket list that I will travel at-least 10 countries by age 25. It was kinda impossible target for an ordinary young person like me who is coming from a normal family back ground. 

But then, 

#3 Taiwan

#4 Vietnam

#5 The Philippines

#6 Singapore

#7 Cambodia

#8 India

#9 Morocco

#10 China

Few weeks ago I have finished my AIESEC career as the President of AIESEC in Sri Lanka. And guess what, I have been to 10 countries by the time I left AIESEC and most importantly I have able to travel 10 countries by my age 25. From 1991-2012 I have only been to Sri Lanka and from 2013-now I have traveled Indonesia, Taiwan, Vietnam, The Philippines, Singapore, Cambodia, India, Morocco and China.

Now travelling is a part of my life. It really helped me to become the person that I am today. And if a person like me can achieved this much things within a very short period of time, imagine what you can do? What you can achieve?

And my next target is to travel more countries than my age by age 30. It means 20+ countries within the next 5 years. :D Let’s see how it will go.