A Timeline
1972
Heather born in Columbus, Ohio.
1972-1990
Lives on North Main Street, from age two to 17, a block from where her parents met, two blocks from where her mother grew up.
November 1982
Attends the International Festival at Veterans’ Memorial Hall in downtown Columbus with Girl Scout troop #221. At the entrance, receives a passport to get “stamped” at the different countries booths she visits that day. Doesn’t want to go home.
December 1983
Visits France and Japan, by way of the “World Showcase” at Disney’s Epcot Center in Orlando, Florida. Wants to see more “countries” that day but her one-month-old sister needs to go back to the hotel to sleep.
July 1994-December 1994
Backpacks through Europe following college graduation. Works in London as a temp for Office Angels (yes, that’s the name, and yes, there’re still in business).
January 1995
In Columbus, Ohio, meets future husband, a former Peace Corps volunteer who served in Papua New Guinea.
March 1996
Breaks off romance with future husband, who later moves to Honduras.
1998-2000
Joins the US Peace Corps, teaches English to middle-schoolers in the Cape Verde Islands, West Africa. Temporarily (as in, from 1998-2000) overcomes her fear of swimming in the ocean and dancing unselfconsciously at nightclubs. Future husband starts sending letters to Cape Verde.
2001
Moves to Boise, Idaho to be near the mountains. Future husband joins her. Together they make a deal—live in the Pacific Northwest for a few years, then head back overseas.
August 2005-present
Lives, writes, explores in Bangkok. Gathers stamps in her passport from Southeast Asia and beyond. Gives birth to one son and then another. Dreams of travelling to Australia and Nepal, but is OK with the beaches and national parks of Thailand until the kids are older.
