For the last 20 years, a Washington University housekeeper has been writing notes to the students that live in the dorm rooms she cleans. This week, one of her letters went viral on Reddit.
“At first, I laughed—then, oh my gosh, it’s so many people with comments,” says Draga, who’s asked to keep her last name unpublished for privacy reasons. “My husband and I laughed last night—it’s so funny.”
Get a fresh take on the day’s top news
Subscribe to the St. Louis Daily newsletter for a smart, succinct guide to local news from award-winning journalists Sarah Fenske and Ryan Krull.
The letter starts: “The purpose of this letter is to let you know a little bit about me, your housekeeper.” Then Draga introduces her family of four. It ends with words of encouragement: “I put lot of effort in making this place a comfortable home for learning and living!” Come speak with her, she says, and she’ll do what she can to make students feel at home.
When the letter became the top post on Reddit, “I was surprised. I didn’t expect something like that,” Draga says. She’s been writing similar letters for the 19 years that she’s worked at WashU, without much notice. People have mentioned them, but they’ve never gone viral. Usually, says Draga, the students “love it,” and often it’s the start to a friendship. She sometimes stays in touch with “her kids” long after they’ve left Wash U.
On Draga’s Facebook, one former student wrote, “Draga made my WashU experience so special. It’s nice to see her getting some props on Reddit!”
Draga wrote the letter as a mom: She wants to know who’s around her kids. “And I like to encourage them a little bit. I see on their faces, they are afraid, and they often cry. Some of them are so far from home—from China.”
Now, she’s happy that people like her letter, but she admits that the notoriety has scared her a bit. All the attention has made her worried about doing the letters in the future. “If I do it next year, I won’t put my name,” she says. “My name is ‘come to me, and I will tell you’.”
You can read the letter for yourself below:
The purpose of this letter is to let you know a little bit about me, your housekeeper.
My name is Draga. I’m originally from Croatia (parts of former Yugoslavia). I have been living in the U.S. for 20 years now. I’m married and have two children, a 28 year old daughter and 22 year old son.
My daughter, Tina, received her Bachelor’s degree in May 2012 from WUSTL. She majored in Romance languages + Literatures (French, Spanish, Italian). She spent the year teaching English in Madrid, Spain, then she did the MBA program at Olin, and is now working full time in St. Loius at Nestle Purina Petcare as a Global associate portfolio manager.
My son, Goran, is an undergraduate at Webster University here in St. Louis. He enjoys movies, comic books, books and painting. This will be my 19th year working here. I put lot of effort in making this place a comfortable home for learning and living!
I know this is your first year at WUSTL—everything is new and difficult but what I learned in my life is that nothing is impossible and nothing is promised.
My family came here 20 years ago with only $100 in our pocket, but here we are happy and blessed. Don’t hesitate to come up and talk to me, I’m here to help you feel more at home and I’ll do my best to help.
I wish you a successful and clean year!
Your housekeeper, Draga 🙂
