Here at Au Pair in America, we are pleased to spotlight another second place winner of our 2018 Au Pair of the Year contest, Rozelle from South Africa!
Rozelle went above and beyond for her family and her host child, who has special needs. She jumped right in upon her arrival in Ohio, researching ways to work with and help her host child. Her host family’s nomination essay shows just how valuable Rozelle was to her American family and the excellent level of care that she provided.
Here is an excerpt from the essay submitted by Rozelle’s host family:
“On a cold day in March we Skyped with Rozelle from South Africa, and we just knew she would be a perfect fit for our family. We had no idea she would become ‘Super Au Pair,’ surpassing all caregivers before her! Her English is perfect, an important trait when trying to teach [our daughter] Alana to make sounds….Nothing could have prepared us for the impact she has had on our family. She is warm and caring, strong and diligent, respectful and engaged, but most importantly, she is committed to helping Alana reach her goals.
It took minutes for us to realize that Rozelle is such a special person and that we are blessed to have her as part of our family. She is inquisitive about our daughter’s condition and joined several on-line support groups to seek ways to help. She has spoken at length with her professors in South Africa about ways to improve Alana’s muscle tone. She has brought to our team of therapists ideas that are used today. She attends Alana’s school to collaborate on how to provide consistency at home. Alana’s aide at school has asked if we can adopt Rozelle, and she is not kidding!
She shares her culture with us and we share ours. She was beyond giddy to see Niagara Falls and go to Florida. We love trying to make a Brie (South African BBQ), and Rozelle makes the best Brie Bread.
She loves Alana like a sister, works with her like a therapist and protects her like a mother. We pray every day that she can extend her stay with us as she has brought so much joy to our family and the community. We cannot imagine any au pair more worthy of this honor.”
Congratulations to Rozelle on this well-deserved award and thank you to her host family for recognizing her outstanding efforts!
Could your family benefit from an intercultural child care experience with a dedicated, talented au pair like Rozelle? Register today to view au pair profiles!
