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You Are Not Here: Travels Through Countries that Don't Exist
American journalist Eric Czuleger dives into the twilight zone of statecraft by living in unrecognized nations in order to discover what a country really is. He begins his journey as a third-grade teacher in Iraqi Kurdistan at the height of the Kurdish independence movement. Banned by Turkey, he pivots to Kosovo where he reports during the nation's 10 year anniversary celebration. Moving on to The Black Hole of Europe, Transnistria, he arrives in time for the Russian election. Finally, Czuleger infiltrates the world's first crypto-anarchist nation, Liberland, where he parties with Bitcoin millionaires and falls into his most challenging position Liberland Ambassador to Somaliland. There, in the never ending desert, he discovers the real cost of drawing a new line in the sand.
You Are Not Travels Through Countries that Don't Exist is part history lesson, memoir, and adventure travelog in the tradition of Bill Bryson, Louis Theroux, and Anthony Bourdain.
You Are Not Travels Through Countries that Don't Exist is part history lesson, memoir, and adventure travelog in the tradition of Bill Bryson, Louis Theroux, and Anthony Bourdain.
- GenresTravel
362 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 4, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 27, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. Really unique premise with lots of humor. Made me really question what does a country actually mean and consistent of.
May 8, 2025
So informative, insightful, and laugh out loud funny - I’m serious I actually spent a good amount of time reading this chuckling. 10/10 read this.
October 30, 2024
Truly an amazing story of a year-long adventure living and working in countries the rest of the world does not acknowledge. Part memoir, part history book, part political commentary but at heart an adventure memoir, a love story, and proof that the world is indeed a curious place. It makes me want to pack my bags and find my own stories.
February 6, 2026
If you're scrolling reviews to tell you to buy this book, here: BUY THE BOOK! Its genius, its very fun, its a good time.
Endorsements aside, this book is exactly what it says that it is in the first few pages - its a story about an American guy traveling to currently unrecognised countries trying to answer the question, "What is a country?"
Well as you come to find out, that question is WAY more complicated than it seems. The truth is, it is kind of an impossible question to answer in the first place, but really (I say this only half joking) the answer may be much closer to "It's the friends we make along the way..." than we're all aware of.
Eric obviously went through a lot while putting this book together, and his adventures, the stories he collects from the people he meets, the streets he walks, the independence movements he witnesses, the countries he visits of varying global recognition all feel real. They are all recognized, seen, and heard by an honestly curious journalist with the best intentions of hearing everyone out.
Even though this is non-fiction it does feel like Eric is a character - we get to have insight about what's bouncing around in the head of a well intentioned, goofy American dude who has landed himself in some situations that could be the plots of shows/movies on their own.
Observations about geo-politics, how weird it is when you really think about what a country is, simple but impactful romantic writing about long distance relationships, insights gained from letting go of fear, and a lot of jokes, stories, and adventures sprinkled throughout. As the silly little amazon review on the back says, yeah, this is "An Amazing Book..."
Endorsements aside, this book is exactly what it says that it is in the first few pages - its a story about an American guy traveling to currently unrecognised countries trying to answer the question, "What is a country?"
Well as you come to find out, that question is WAY more complicated than it seems. The truth is, it is kind of an impossible question to answer in the first place, but really (I say this only half joking) the answer may be much closer to "It's the friends we make along the way..." than we're all aware of.
Eric obviously went through a lot while putting this book together, and his adventures, the stories he collects from the people he meets, the streets he walks, the independence movements he witnesses, the countries he visits of varying global recognition all feel real. They are all recognized, seen, and heard by an honestly curious journalist with the best intentions of hearing everyone out.
Even though this is non-fiction it does feel like Eric is a character - we get to have insight about what's bouncing around in the head of a well intentioned, goofy American dude who has landed himself in some situations that could be the plots of shows/movies on their own.
Observations about geo-politics, how weird it is when you really think about what a country is, simple but impactful romantic writing about long distance relationships, insights gained from letting go of fear, and a lot of jokes, stories, and adventures sprinkled throughout. As the silly little amazon review on the back says, yeah, this is "An Amazing Book..."
September 3, 2023
I loved this book! Geopolitics, travel, history, cryptocurrency, existentialism and even a love story - while hilarious, smart and relatable. Did I mention top writing?
This story is great because it seems totally unreal but is so incredibly real.
"What are you doing?" I look around the room that I’ve been feeling sorry for myself in for the last 18 hours. "Reading," I say, because it seems like something a person worthy of respect would be doing with their time.“
„A vacation is a break from the thousand natural shocks of your day-to-day life. Travel exposes you to a million natural shocks an hour but with a purpose. You vacation to unwind and you travel to understand. In the end, you return to a day-to-day life full of gratitude for every bit that you walked away from. To put it another way: travel sucks a lot sometimes. If you can survive there is understanding on the other side of all that suck. I hope.“
„This is a moment that you come to treasure as a traveler. You are bleary-eyed, bloodshot, and threadbare. You have everything on your back and nothing else. You have a place that you are going and a place that you have been but you own nothing else. You are right here.“
„All nations have a single best time held in their collective imaginations. Sometimes it is in the near future like Lenin's USSR. Sometimes it is in the past like when Moscow was a globe shifting power player. In the United States there is a belief that somewhere between the end of World War II and the 1980s, there was a shining moment of American exceptionalism. There is a belief that we will someday return to this moment if only we make the right choice once every four years.“
„Does limiting government and relying on an unregulated free market lead to everyone acting in the best interests of their fellow man? Or does it just lead to brilliant coffee shops in the middle of post-apocalyptic shopping malls?“
„I find my least wrinkled button up shirt whip it in the air to iron it through sheer inertia. It does not work but flailing around my room helps me air dry. I hop into my only pants and knock my boots together off of my balcony to dislodge some mud and goat droppings from the tread. When I am fully dressed, I look like someone who has survived a nuclear apocalypse on their way to Sunday school. This is not how I would have liked to meet the Vice President but it's the best I can do.“
„The milk tastes like pure, unadulterated dusty camel. It begins with a punchy note of earthy funk that shouts CAMEL! As it drapes heavy across the tongue it begs you to wonder, who was this camel?“
This story is great because it seems totally unreal but is so incredibly real.
"What are you doing?" I look around the room that I’ve been feeling sorry for myself in for the last 18 hours. "Reading," I say, because it seems like something a person worthy of respect would be doing with their time.“
„A vacation is a break from the thousand natural shocks of your day-to-day life. Travel exposes you to a million natural shocks an hour but with a purpose. You vacation to unwind and you travel to understand. In the end, you return to a day-to-day life full of gratitude for every bit that you walked away from. To put it another way: travel sucks a lot sometimes. If you can survive there is understanding on the other side of all that suck. I hope.“
„This is a moment that you come to treasure as a traveler. You are bleary-eyed, bloodshot, and threadbare. You have everything on your back and nothing else. You have a place that you are going and a place that you have been but you own nothing else. You are right here.“
„All nations have a single best time held in their collective imaginations. Sometimes it is in the near future like Lenin's USSR. Sometimes it is in the past like when Moscow was a globe shifting power player. In the United States there is a belief that somewhere between the end of World War II and the 1980s, there was a shining moment of American exceptionalism. There is a belief that we will someday return to this moment if only we make the right choice once every four years.“
„Does limiting government and relying on an unregulated free market lead to everyone acting in the best interests of their fellow man? Or does it just lead to brilliant coffee shops in the middle of post-apocalyptic shopping malls?“
„I find my least wrinkled button up shirt whip it in the air to iron it through sheer inertia. It does not work but flailing around my room helps me air dry. I hop into my only pants and knock my boots together off of my balcony to dislodge some mud and goat droppings from the tread. When I am fully dressed, I look like someone who has survived a nuclear apocalypse on their way to Sunday school. This is not how I would have liked to meet the Vice President but it's the best I can do.“
„The milk tastes like pure, unadulterated dusty camel. It begins with a punchy note of earthy funk that shouts CAMEL! As it drapes heavy across the tongue it begs you to wonder, who was this camel?“
July 24, 2023
I’ve been a fan of travel memoirs for many decades. As an avid traveler I find myself comparing the travel memoir author’s experience with my own, if they visit a place I’ve been, and travel with them vicariously if it is a place I haven’t been. Some of the experiences I read about I’m unlikely to experience by myself. I guarantee I’m never going to hike the entire length of the Appalachian Trail, but have read multiple books to experience it vicariously. I feel extremely safe saying that those things Eric Czuleger experienced and the places he visited that are chronicled in this book are not things I will ever experience or places I’m likely to visit, but I can definitely learn from his experience. And I did.
The places Eric traveled to and chronicled in this book are places that see themselves as a country, just like the United States, Canada, or France is a country, but few, if any of the other countries in the world agree. Eric experiences the unique culture of these places, sometimes disconcerting and possibly a bit on the dangerous side. He observes the people and does what he can to get a feel for the impact of this country’s status with the rest of the world on its people. The theme running through the entire book is an attempt to decide exactly what it is that makes a country a country. Will he come up with the ultimate answer that we’ll all agree with? I’ll let you read and decide. Whatever the answer to that question, his exploration and consideration of this was an interesting exercise that got me thinking a lot about not only countries that might not be an actual country, but also about the differences, both good and not so good, to those places that clearly are countries.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
The places Eric traveled to and chronicled in this book are places that see themselves as a country, just like the United States, Canada, or France is a country, but few, if any of the other countries in the world agree. Eric experiences the unique culture of these places, sometimes disconcerting and possibly a bit on the dangerous side. He observes the people and does what he can to get a feel for the impact of this country’s status with the rest of the world on its people. The theme running through the entire book is an attempt to decide exactly what it is that makes a country a country. Will he come up with the ultimate answer that we’ll all agree with? I’ll let you read and decide. Whatever the answer to that question, his exploration and consideration of this was an interesting exercise that got me thinking a lot about not only countries that might not be an actual country, but also about the differences, both good and not so good, to those places that clearly are countries.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
December 21, 2023
Wanderlust: catch it or cure it with this book
From the time I was a child collecting stamps that included those tiny European principalities like Liechtenstein and San Marino, Andorra and Monaco, I’ve always been fascinated by how places like this come into being and are able to maintain their autonomy surrounded by some big bullying states. Eric Czuleger’s book documents experiences he’s had in several present-day locations that are extreme examples of indigenous populations trying to lay claim to historic territory they’ve never been recognized as owning to one of the more outlandish Internet-age crypto-funded states of imagination. After we meet him embarking on what seems a not-uncommon guest teaching gig in a dangerous area of genuine need, external factors unravel and he is determined to find out the answer to life, the universe, and everything as he seeks out new and uncharted territory. That’s when things get really weird. It’s no spoiler to report that he survived to tell the tale, thank goodness, because this is one rip-roaring journey to take with him.
From the time I was a child collecting stamps that included those tiny European principalities like Liechtenstein and San Marino, Andorra and Monaco, I’ve always been fascinated by how places like this come into being and are able to maintain their autonomy surrounded by some big bullying states. Eric Czuleger’s book documents experiences he’s had in several present-day locations that are extreme examples of indigenous populations trying to lay claim to historic territory they’ve never been recognized as owning to one of the more outlandish Internet-age crypto-funded states of imagination. After we meet him embarking on what seems a not-uncommon guest teaching gig in a dangerous area of genuine need, external factors unravel and he is determined to find out the answer to life, the universe, and everything as he seeks out new and uncharted territory. That’s when things get really weird. It’s no spoiler to report that he survived to tell the tale, thank goodness, because this is one rip-roaring journey to take with him.
June 14, 2023
I loved this book. The author writes in a conversational style, sprinkled with enticing bits of wisdom, sarcasm, and self-deprecating humor. I was educated, entertained, enthralled and totally engaged throughout this chronicle of his travels through countries that don't exist. As the author tries to answer the question, "What is a country?" he intertwines his personal story into the narrative of the five non-countries, giving the book a fascinating point of cohesion. I had no idea about most of the history of these areas and found it both thought provoking and enlightening. Highly recommended
Thanks to the publisher for an advanced reader copy.
Thanks to the publisher for an advanced reader copy.
October 14, 2023
I really enjoyed this book because of the author's engaging writing style and the unique nature of his travels. The premise of the book - "what is a country?" - is also very thought-provoking. I've visited Kosovo, so it was very interesting to read the Kosovo chapter since both sides of the conflict were represented through the author's interactions with ethnic Albanians, Bozniaks, and Serbs. I had little to no knowledge of the other places visited by the author, so I learned a lot about the impact of language, religion, ethnicity, and cultural traditions on national borders and the people who live within them.
September 3, 2023
Although, I might be biased as I know Eric, I will say that I loved the book. He’s an excellent story teller and writes like he speaks. Do yourself a favor and read the book, you won’t regret it. You’ll laugh a lot and anxiously turn the pages wanting to find out what happens next. Great job friend.
April 13, 2024
A delightful read, packed with wit, adventure, and unexpected revelations as the author digs into the concept of “what is a country?” I didn’t want to finish it! It was especially a great read while traveling as it inspired me savor and appreciate the interactions I could have with any stranger I might encounter on my journey.
December 6, 2023
Loved itt! The concept of the books is very unique and interesting: visiting countries that don't exist to find out what it takes to make a country. Despite all the cultural differences, locations, backgrounds, and political views that don't match, people seem to want the same thing: to belong to a place they can call home. Loved reading about Eric's adventures (even though my anxiety spiked a couple of times due to some of his choices in Somaliland). His writing style makes for a fast reading experience because of his brilliant humour, the suspense, and conversational style.
November 2, 2023
Cannot recommend this enough. I laughed out loud. I enjoyed traveling through the author's perspective. Everything about this is a GREAT read!
December 12, 2023
Very interesting. Learned quite a few things and laughed a lot.
February 4, 2024
I great little book full of experiences in a land that most dare fo venture.
July 23, 2024
7/10 very solid and funny travel memoir! i will always be grateful to travel writers for subjecting themselves to abject misery so that I can sit at a cafe and read about it all.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews