Hello! We are Mike and Julie Vargo, an American married couple (soon to be) living on the MV Lara, a cruise ship sailing around the world for three years from November 2023 to November 2026. Our website, VillaVargo.com will chronicle the journey. We’ll share pictures, videos, and insights of our epic worldwide trip.
Mike Vargo
Mike Vargo is a self-described computer geek who became interested in computer programming way before it was popular. He attended Northeastern University in Boston, MA but transferred and graduated from UMASS Dartmouth so he could start working sooner. His first job brought him to sunny California, where he lived and worked until the company he helped start was sold and he retired early. Woo hoo! When he met Julie in Santa Monica, CA, they realized they grew up only a few towns apart in MA and their mothers actually went to the same hairdresser! Shortly after Julie retired, they moved to Manhattan, NYC to experience a new city. About a year later, Mike saw an Instagram ad for a world cruise and you’ll find out the rest here!
His recent hobbies are bike riding in Central Park, implementing personal finance strategies, and travel/points hacking. You can find more about these interests in the “Other Topics” page on our site.
Mike loves to travel and has already been to many places around the world.
Julie Vargo
Julie Vargo is a (retired) leadership-focused consumer marketing executive who attended Boston University (B.S.) and Loyola Marymount University (M.B.A.) in Los Angeles. She, too, left the Boston area for LA to get some sunshine and start her career. During her time working in the entertainment and telecommunications industries, she met Mike in a Boston-themed bar and never looked back! The couple married in Santa Monica and lived in the area until they retired and moved to Manhattan in 2022 to experience a new city.
Julie has a wide range of personal interests including personal finance, politics, health, writing, plant-based cooking and dining and mentorship/consulting. You can find more about these interests in the “Other Topics” page on our site.
Like Mike, Julie loves to travel and is looking forward to their next big adventure together.
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