How an American travels to countries the State Department considers 'dangerous'

Former banker-turned-farmer Barry Hoffner lived and worked in Russia, France, Japan, and Singapore, and traveled throughout Asia and Africa. Having visited over a hundred countries, he wrote a book about it, the proceeds of which will go toward a scholarship program, writes New York Post.

"After high school, I wanted to go to Hawaii to surf, but my best friend was dying to backpack Europe," said Sausalito, California, resident Barry Hoffner. "He won, and that trip changed my life."

By the age of 55, Hoffner had visited 100 countries. He is now 66.

After the tragic death of his wife, Jackie, in 2017 in an accident while they were watching elephants in Botswana, Hoffner decided to visit every remaining country on Earth, including those whose citizens are banned from entering the United States. The list included nearly all "Level 4" or "No Travel Advisory" countries. These include Russia, Iran, Syria, and Ukraine, which the US State Department has designated as "life-threatening" to American travelers due to war, terrorism, and kidnappings.

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"What started as a way to move forward became a way to feel again. I wanted to see the world not through a news feed, but through people. I wanted to remind myself what it meant to truly feel alive," he explained. "Then I said to myself, 'I have to visit every country in the world.' And I realized that to do that, I'd have to go to places that aren't usually recommended."

After deciding to visit each country, Hoffner, whose mother was born in Baghdad, chose Iraq as his first Tier 4 destination and visited in April 2022.

"As an Iraqi Jew, I knew that a lot depended on how I was received in Iraq," he said. "I wasn't just visiting a country; I was visiting a place that is part of my identity."

Hoffner, author of the new book "Belonging to the World: A Journey from Grief to Connection in Every Country on Earth," recalled returning to Baghdad after visiting a Shiite shrine and being stopped at a checkpoint along with his guide. After greeting the officer in Arabic, he was separated from his guide and interrogated.

"I was a little scared. I told the officer that my mother was born in Iraq. He asked, 'Are you Muslim?' I replied, 'No, I'm Jewish.'

The officer paused for a long moment, then placed his hand on his heart and said, "If this is your mother's homeland, then this is your country too. Welcome," Hoffner recalled one story.

 

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In October of that year (and a year after the Taliban came to power), he traveled to Afghanistan, the only country where he required an official interview with the ambassador to obtain a visa.

Currently, the only country the US has banned Hoffner from entering, and which therefore remains the only one on his list, is North Korea.

North Korea is currently completely closed to entry for everyone except citizens of China and Russia.

In addition to entry restrictions for Americans, Hoffner had to contend with border closures due to wars or coups, as well as changing visa requirements.

In countries where visas are not issued to US citizens, Hoffner waited for the policy to change. In places where entry was difficult, he relied on luck, the help of local contacts, and humanitarian NGOs that provide food, medical care, and shelter to victims of armed conflict.

Hoffner says he has never felt persecuted because he is American and has never faced any direct danger.

"The truth is, I've had a thousand good times in places I should have been afraid of," he concluded.

One such moment was the celebration of Hoffner's 63rd birthday in a Level 4 "forbidden" country – Syria.

To celebrate the occasion, the guide invited him to his home, where the Syrian's wife and daughters prepared a feast and later threw a surprise party in the center of Damascus.

"It was one of the best birthdays of my life," Hoffner admitted.

While he acknowledges that Tier 4 countries are objectively more dangerous than other locations, especially given the U.S. government's limited ability to assist American travelers in those regions, Hoffner believes that travel, like life, is about managing expectations.

"People who've never been to some parts of the world immediately feel fear when they see a checkpoint and an officer with an AK-47," he noted. "But for those countries, that's the norm. It doesn't mean they'll shoot at you."

However, he stressed that a good guide, a clear route and the right attitude are essential to minimise risk.

According to Hoffner, the danger of visiting certain places depends largely on the specific location.

"There are certainly very unsafe places," he agreed, citing Khartoum in Sudan and the frontline regions of Ukraine as examples. "But there are also quite safe locations in these countries, such as Port Sudan and Lviv."

Although Hoffner has traveled to many war-torn regions, he had not visited an active war zone until his trip to Sudan in early 2024.

"The thought occurred to me: 'Maybe I should come here?'" the 66-year-old man shared, adding that there's a difference between idle curiosity and responsible research, especially in conflict zones. "If your goal is to take a selfie with a tank or soldiers in the background, that's irresponsible. But if you come to listen, learn, understand, and tell these people's stories, that's already part of the testimony."

For those considering traveling to a "restricted" or Level 4 country, Hoffner advises caution, but for him, curiosity is more important.

"Our consciousness clings to the news because that's how we learn about these countries. But often, reality completely changes your perception," he concluded.

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"Some of my most powerful experiences were in Syria, Yemen, and Iraq. I can't recommend these places to everyone, but I will say: most of the most meaningful moments in life occur when you push your boundaries," concluded Barry Hoffner.

This beauty of transcending boundaries became the basis for his book, the proceeds of which will go directly to the Caravan to Class Foundation's Boursie Jackie Scholarship Program, named after the author's late wife.

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