Michael Angelo Zervos is a Greek-American who is trying to break the Guinness World Record by visiting all 195 countries in the world in the shortest time possible.
Zervos, a man from Detroit, Michigan and his Project Kosmos have set an exceptionally ambitious goal. Nonetheless, the proud son of two Greeks who emigrated to the United States decades ago has worked in the film and television industry. This is something that has equipped him with the strength and dedication his project requires.
Zervos told Greek Reporter that he decided to take on this challenge after going through a period of serious depression during the pandemic. It is a challenge that has helped him realize what matters most in life.
“I wanted to create something that could help other people who might be in similar positions like me,” Zervos explained. He hopes that by recording every step of this adventurous journey and speaking to people in each country about their happiest moments, he might inspire others and help them find happiness themselves.
“I wanted to help people who were having difficulty with happiness, and even though my target audience is young people, it turns out that many people who watch my videos are people in their middle age or even a bit older than that because they’re just curious about the world around them,” he explained in speaking to Greek Reporter.
The love of this proud man for learning from places and people along with his desire to challenge himself have been the driving forces behind this fascinating journey to every country of the world.
“I think one of the greatest ways to learn is to get yourself out of your comfort zone, out of your regular day-to-day and challenge yourself. In fact, shock your system,” the Greek American who wants to break the Guinness World Record explained passionately.
When asked what country has fascinated him the most so far, Zervos struggled to give a definite answer for good reason. Throughout his journey so far, the young man from Michigan has been trying to live solely in the present.
“Right now, I just say that the country that I’m currently in is my favorite country, because I try to live day to day. I try not to think too far ahead, and not dwell too much on the past,” he said.
Nonetheless, he couldn’t resist giving us some examples of countries that have impressed him the most, in particular the countries in East and Southeast Asia.
“I think East Asia and Southeast Asia were…well, I don’t think that there was a single country that I disliked in that region!” Zervos explained. He also highlighted the welcoming nature of the Syrian people despite his being an American and the beauty of countries like Mauritius, Madagascar, and Mongolia, each of them for their own unique reasons.
The challenges of a Greek American trying to break the Guinness World Record
Attempting to break a Guinness World Record is not an easy task, as we can all imagine. This is why Zervos has had to make many sacrifices to maintain his physical and emotional well-being on the road so as to not throw in the towel at times.
“I’m willing to sacrifice a year and a half of my optimal health in order to see, do and experience as much as I can in some countries that I may or may not visit ever again,” he admitted.
To cope with the challenges that such a herculean task entails, Zervos explained that he relies on rituals. “Turning on the AC and putting your toiletries at a certain place, putting your bags in a certain way, unpacking a bit so it just feels a little bit more lived in,” Zervos said, are part of his coping mechanisms to find meaning in the rush of staying on track.
Obviously, staying connected with family and friends and ensuring he gets enough sleep are also part of his everyday checklists that keep him going when things get tough along the way.
Greeks are everywhere
As a Greek American, Zervos has had the opportunity to connect with Greek communities in many countries, including places where one wouldn’t expect to find Greeks, such as countries like Burundi and Fiji.
“I know that there’s about as many Greeks outside the country as there are in of the country, and they are very entrepreneurial. They tend to be, you know, travelers and perhaps risk-takers,” he said, explaining that quite frankly, Greeks are everywhere!
When speaking to Greek Reporter, Zervos was in Fiji and spoke to us about a surprising encounter he had had just hours prior to the interview. “I was driving down this really rickety, gravel-filled, pothole-ridden street, minding my way through and trying to survive. And all of a sudden, I see right in front of me on the left-hand side the street sign pointing to ‘Saint Paraskevi, Greek Orthodox Church!’”
Despite being there to break the Guinness World Record, Zervos, a Greek American himself, couldn’t help but stop and ask.
“Hey, where are the Greeks?” Zervos asked some Indian restaurant owners nearby, and they responded, “Oh, yeah, the Greeks! Up ahead and left!” Zervos explains that he went ahead and found that location and the lovely Greek Orthodox Church, where he had a brief conversation with the priest there.
In conclusion, Zervos emphasized that his goal in all of this is not to make money. His primary objective is to accumulate experiences, knowledge, and stories that might help others.
“I’m hoping to be able to help other people by joining me on the journey and following along. By sharing the stories that I collect and perhaps by sharing specific ones that will resonate with you, I might be able to help people who need that help the most. That’s what motivates me to do what I’m doing,” he revealed.
You can follow Michael’s journey on his Instagram account, website, and his Facebook page.