7
winter Olympics were held in Norway at that time, they toured the
Olympics site.
Heimes came back from Norway to the ski resort in Colorado to
work for another ski season. At the end of the season, she was off to
Alaska. Her roommate, who worked during the summers in the fish
canneries there had helped Heimes get a job working with her for
those four months. When her roommate started on a seine fishing
boat, catching salmon by dragging a huge fishing net through the
water, Heimes got her chance to work on the boat as well.
Heimes and her roommate found themselves as the only two girls
working on the number one northeast seine fishing boat, out on the
water for up to five days in a row to fish. Heimes started off as a cook,
but when one of the guys left, she found herself doubling up as cook
and as deckhand.
“It was just an awesome experience and it was also really hard work,”
she recalls. Her parents traveled again to see their daughter. When she
finished her fishing adventure, they brought her back home.
She relocated back in the United States to New Jersey to be a nanny
for several months before opting to try for another venture abroad. She
sent out several applications for different cruise lines and was offered
a spot at Clipper Cruise lines out of St. Louis, Missouri. The massive
boats were an eye-opener to her.
“I didn’t realize that a lot of those cruise lines are so huge. So
huge. So many people.” She flew to Florida then to Panama to get on
the Clipper Yorktown cruise ship that she was assigned to. The ship
traveled the Panama Canal, Mexico, California and Alaska.
Heimes then took part in the International Agriculture Exchange
Association and traveled to Australia to live with a host family, with
a four-day stop in Hawaii on her way out. What was to be a seven
month stay with a family there turned into nine months because she
loved it so much. Her Australian hosts lived on a ranch with their four
children, the youngest just a baby. She often helped the father with his
Brahman cattle and assisted with outside chores.
“That was just awesome. I loved it.” Her Australian host parents and
their grown children have come to the United States a couple of times
to stay with Heimes and her husband.
Heimes remains close to her international host families today. “That’s
the good thing about traveling. You just meet so many people. You
meet a lot of good, good people,” she says, beaming.
The remarkable thing about her travels? She completed all of this
from age 19-24. By this time, she visited most of the U.S. except the
northeast states and traveled to more than six countries!
Deciding it was time to plant her feet for a while, her love of animals
drew her to veterinary school and she opted for Northeast Community
College in Norfolk, Nebraska. She completed their two-year Veterinary
Tech program and obtained her Associates degree. During this time,
she completed an internship at Iowa State. This was a fascinating
experience to her, as she witnessed large animal care which is what she
loves the most.
During her last year of school, she fell in love with her future
husband, Bill. Knowing she wanted to visit one more country before
settling down, she toured Germany and the surrounding area for
four months to catch a glimpse of her family heritage. Later that year,
she worked one last cruise with the Clipper cruise lines on a tour in
Canada.
Then her biggest adventure began. She said “yes” to Bill’s proposal
and they became husband and wife. Before having any children, they
headed to Australia to see her exchange family, spending three to four
weeks with them during Australia’s summer, which was winter in the
U.S.
It appeared Heimes was going to make her goal to see all fifty
states. As luck would have it, Bill’s sister was planning a fall wedding
in Vermont. On their way to the wedding, Heimes and her husband
took extra time to travel through the beautiful fall foliage in the last
northeast states on her list, reaching her goal by age 28.
Heimes has hung up her tattered running shoes and her adventures
are now all in her own Hartington, Nebraska home, raising six
wonderful children ages 3 to 12 while helping Bill with the farm.
Thankful for her experience traveling, she’s still happy to be home.
“It’s nice to visit, not to live it. It was nice to go but it was always
nice to come home. There’s just so many places out in this world that
are beautiful. I wanted to broaden my horizon. I wanted to go and see
what was out there.”
She’s glad that she traveled when she did and treasures some
mementos she has kept from her journeys. Her children excitedly
showed me a coconut and some dirt that she brought home from
Australia, a keepsake that they wouldn’t normally experience.
The fearless, free-spirited woman wasn’t intimidated to travel
the world as a young woman. At age twenty-one when she went to
Norway, it was her first flight oversees. “I was kind of scared, but I
guess I was just trusting to other people.” She recalls the primary
feeling of excitement, being enthralled with the enormous 747 plane
that she was getting on to start her new adventure.
She loved Australia, listing that as her favorite place that she visited.
Recalling her experience there, “I loved the family. We had a really
great relationship. They treated me like a daughter, and I really liked
the work.” Communication with family was difficult when she traveled;
without today’s technology of cell phones, texting and skype, she relied
on letters and phone calls. She has kept many letters as keepsakes.
What surprised her the most? Throughout her travels, she never
lost her faith. She was also surprised to meet so many good people. She
came away from the experience knowing that there are a lot of good
people in the world with really good hearts.
The appreciative traveler sums up the best part of her journey with
a sunny smile. “Having good experiences with good people. I feel very
blessed.”
vBy Julie Eickhoff
WOMEN HOLD MORE THAN HALF OF THE
NATION’S WEALTH IN THEIR HANDS.
But, because they also hold the hands of children and aging parents,
they drastically decrease their income and ability to save for retirement.
We understand the unique facets of financial planning for women and
can help you reach your goals. See what a Raymond James advisor can
do for you. LIFE WELL PLANNED.
Kathy Greeneway
Certified Financial PlannerTM
225 Cedar Street, Yankton
(605)665-4940
First Dakota Brokerage
Services, Inc. A subsidiary
of First Dakota National
Bank. Securities offered
through Raymond James
Financial Services, Inc.
Member FINRA/SIPC an
independent broker/dealer.
Securities are offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC, and are not deposits; not insured
by FDIC or any other governmental agency; not guaranteed by the financial institution; subject to risk & may lose value. First
Dakota National Bank and First Dakota Brokerage Services are independent of RJFS.
HERVOICEvMAY/JUNE 2017v7