Uwe Doeringer, a Coral Gables business owner and father of two, is bringing his German roots to Coral Gables.
The German-raised father currently is hosting both a German au pair (at home) and a German intern (at work) in an effort to open the eyes of his children and employees to other cultures.
Doeringer met his American wife in Germany and they moved to the U.S. for the first time in 1999. The two decided to make it a priority to introduce their American friends and family to different cultures. They also wanted to ensure that their children continued to feel connected to their German heritage.
“Bringing up our kids in a very multicultural place like Miami enforced our wish to expose them to their German heritage as much as possible,” Doeringer said. “Having au pairs from German-speaking countries is a tremendous help in that endeavor.”
Doeringer and his wife found their au pair, Minnie, through the agency AuPairCare, which matched them with an au pair from Germany.
“I love living in Coral Gables because it is a beautiful city, quiet and peaceful but still there is a lot to do,” said Minnie Nguyen Thi, a German-born au pair with Vietnamese heritage. “While living in Coral Gables, I learned how diverse and multicultural a city can be. When you walk down Miracle Mile, you see a lot of offices that are home to both national and regional headquarters for a lot of businesses from around the world.”
Doeringer, a partner at Dragonfly Expeditions, a travel company, also wanted to encourage cultural diversity at work. During a trade show in Berlin, he met Philippe Grimm, who later applied for an internship with Doeringer through Intrax, a U.S.-based global company that provides educational, work and volunteer programs for young people around the world.
“Coming to Coral Gables as a German and interning with an adventure tour company like Dragonfly Expeditions became my very own adventure, and the greatest one of my life so far,” Grimm said.
The cultural exchange doesn’t end in Coral Gables. Doeringer also teaches his international visitors about the unique culture, history and ecology of South Florida through activities such as bike rides through Key Biscayne, camping and boating trips, and swamp walks into the Everglades.
For more information visit online at www.dragonflyexpeditions.com, www.aupaircare.com or www.intraxusa.com.
