Meet Mike Renes, world traveler. You may already know him. He’s a loyal STCU member and celebrity, having appeared in our TV commercials. Mike had a big dream—to travel around the world with his wife, Kristi. He knew how he was going to do it and set his mind to it.
Mike put half of every paycheck into his STCU savings account. Yes, half his paycheck! Sound impossible? Not if you set your mind to it like Mike did. He and Kristi left in September 2006 and returned eight months later. Mike and Kristi recorded their experiences in a series of videos from their experiences around the world.
Take a look, read on, and see where in the world saving with STCU can take you!
Q. Really, how’d you do it?
A. It comes down to what you’d like to get out of the experience. If you are willing to make sacrifices in favor of experience, then there are places in the world where it’s easy to live on less than $10 a day. Budgeting is also important and it was an everyday struggle, but well worth it.
Q. What were common questions for you as an American?
A. We answered many questions about where all the Americans are. There aren't too many Americans visiting the Middle East and India, perhaps it's just too far to go with two weeks of vacation. We did get questions about government and politics, but never threateningly so—people seem to quite easily differentiate people and their government.
Q. What is your favorite restaurant on earth?
A. Good question, I’m a food lover and many of our destinations were based on food. The best is Sri Aariyaas Vegetarian restaurant in Kottayam Kerela, India. I say that with conviction because I ate there 15 times. It was all delectable. Plus, you get to eat with your hands.
Q. What was the strangest form of transportation you encountered?
A. There were canal ferries in southern India that “bussed” kids to school. This little ferry boat would speed by and the kids would jump on while it was still moving. Cool!
Q. Does the Vatican honor the STCU CheckCard or credit card?
A. Absolutely. Even in the post office!
Q. What was your longest day of travel?
A. Kristi and I cracked 50 hours straight on a train from Delhi to Kottayam in India. Two days and two hours is too long to spend in a space the size of a broom closet.
Q. Describe the most awesome thing you saw.
A. Another good, but hard question. We saw so many awesome things. The coral reefs in the Red Sea are so clear and colorful it's like swimming in a doctor's office aquarium. We visited a church in Czech Republic that is decorated with the bones of plague victims—cool, but creepy. We were part of 10,000 people dancing on a beach in Southern Thailand all night to the full moon, that was pretty jaw-dropping.
Q. What new condiment did you discover?
A. Tzatziki sauce! I think it’s the greatest condiment known to man!
Q. What did you miss most about home or the United States in general?
A. Personal space. Sitting on a bus or train in India will give you a sense of dread because nobody seems to care that you’re packed like sardines and somebody has just put their baby on your lap. People also ask very personal questions, like how much money you make or whether your wife is fertile.
Q. Based on your travels, what is the universal beverage of choice?
A. Tea. Everywhere we went it was tea time. In the Middle East it's so sugary that I probably have diabetes now. In India it's spicy and sweet and in Southeast Asia it's almost bitter. The second beverage of choice is Coke in a bottle. People love that stuff!
Q. Are you planning to save your money to do it again?
A. Of course! We are saving to take another trip many years from now. But, right now, we’re saving for a house, bummer huh? (Hey, STCU does home loans, keep us in mind!)
Q. What advice would you give to people who would love to do what you did?
A. Set a goal. Remain determined. Ask a lot of questions. And don’t worry—things will work out.
Mike’s determination paid off. Through regimented savings, he was able to reach his goal, traveling to throughout Europe, Egypt, and India, and Thailand. Take it from Mike, saving at STCU can take you anywhere you want to go.
