Today we’d like to introduce you to Kathrin Auger.
Hi Kathrin, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
In the year of 2000 this girl walked into a venue in Switzerland…. Ha! It’s true. It was late at night and I was already in bed when I got a text from a friend, who was at a local concert. I got up, put on makeup, drove into town, didn’t have enough cash to pay the entrance fee, had to find an ATM, finally got the cash ($10!) and made it into the club. Little did I know that I would marry that drummer 15 months later and immigrate to the USA.
It’s a beautiful love story about hardship, joy, and ultimately perseverance. We have now been married for 20 years and have two children.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Having had a long-distance relationship in the beginning wasn’t easy. Neither was it easy to have a massive language barrier, even though the language of love was always present. When I then moved from Switzerland to LA, I was married to a green card holder, which meant I was illegal in the country for three years.
The American culture, even though a Western culture like Switzerland, is still a very different culture. It took me a good 18 months to finally feel settled.
Also, my husband was my only friend, family member, and confidante. Arguing with him was tough because I didn’t speak the language well and there was nobody to vent with about him.
It wasn’t easy on him either as I questioned everything in the US and he often found himself explaining life and culture to me.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I worked as a Registered Nurse in one of our leading university hospitals in Switzerland on the NICU before I moved to LA. I decided not the get my nursing license in the US, but became a birth and postpartum doula. I have had an incredible career working for high-profile clients and traveling the world with them.
I have been training postpartum doulas for the past 15 years, volunteered on the board of an International doula organization, was adjunct faculty at a university as a trainer, and have clients in LA, NY, and all over Europe.
I’m proud of what I have achieved as an immigrant ESL woman.
What makes you happy?
I absolutely love spending time with my husband. He is my best friend, makes me laugh, and holds me when I cry. Our children are one of the biggest blessings and while they are teenagers now, they still like spending time with us.
Apart from that, I love my work, totally love my work. We also live 6 blocks from the beach so the ocean is important to my mental health and happiness. I’m a never-ending romantic so I read lots of books.
Living in Venice is amazing and even though there are plenty of issues, I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else in LA!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.losangelesdoula.com
- Instagram: LosAngelesDoula
- Facebook: LosAngelesDoulaCA
Image Credits
High-resolution pictures: Diana Feil Candid shots: Karma Auger
