Personal introduction

Hello! My name is Dorothy, I’m from Kenya, and I’m very excited about the possibility of becoming an au pair and being welcomed into a new family. I have always enjoyed working with children and young people, which is one of the reasons I chose to study Performing Arts and Film Technology. During and alongside my degree, I worked with students from around 4 to 25 years old. I taught acting and writing at an Academy, volunteered with an LAMDA programme at an International School and interned at a Performing Arts college where I taught acting and monologues and supported students with theatre and film projects. Theatre has given me a very natural way of connecting with children. I love storytelling, creative games, drama and finding little ways to make learning enjoyable. It has also taught me to be patient, observant and adaptable because every person I work with has a different personality and way of expressing themselves. I have learnt that sometimes a child needs encouragement, sometimes they need someone to listen and sometimes they simply need someone willing to step into their world and play along. Outside of theatre, I am quite curious and enjoy watching films, researching things that catch my interest and spending time with people I am close to. I am naturally more introverted, so I also enjoy quieter, hands-on hobbies. Over the years, I have taught myself how to make art objects from paper and recycled materials. I enjoy creating things with my hands, whether that means making something from scratch, putting together a costume or finding a creative use for something that might otherwise be thrown away. I grew up around the costal city and agricultural region of Kenya , so I am familiar with a practical, hands-on way of life. I grew up around basic farm work, household chores and small repairs, and I am comfortable helping around the home and learning how things are done in a new household. Growing up this way taught me to be resourceful, to contribute where I can and to appreciate that a home is something everyone helps to build and care for. Being a middle child has also given me a special experience of being both a younger and an older sister. I grew up in a loving nuclear family where one of the lessons we learnt early was that if you want a community, you have to be willing to be part of one. My parents raised us with a strong sense of Ubuntu, kindness, responsibility and global citizenship. We learnt to look after one another, share what we had, make room for other people and understand that family extends beyond simply being related by blood. I think this has shaped the way I relate to people and is one of the reasons I value the idea of becoming part of a family rather than simply staying with one. I am very interested in different cultures and how people from different societies understand and connect with one another. I am currently developing my research interests in International Studies and Area Studies, particularly around digital societies, diplomacy and cultural exchange. I speak English and Kiswahili,and I am currently learning Korean. I would love to experience another culture through everyday family life rather than simply visiting a country as a tourist. I would be happy to share Kenyan food, stories, games, crafts and traditions with your family while learning yours in return. I would also love the chance to create things with the children, explore their interests, help with their routines and become part of the little everyday moments that make a family feel like home. More than anything, I hope to become someone your children feel comfortable around, someone they can laugh with, talk to, learn from, create with and trust. I’m really looking forward to meeting a family where we can learn from one another, share everyday life and make the experience feel like a genuine cultural exchange.