Company: Tapestry Holidays
Age: 37
Location visited: Fethiye, Turkey
Job title: Nanny
Typical day: In 2000 I was employed by Tapestry Holidays to set up three creches in various holiday resorts around Turkey and continued to work for the company for three years, running the creche at Ocakkoy in the Fethiye region. The creche opened at 9.30am for the children and the nannies arrived at least 15 minutes earlier to make sure everything was set up. Activities ranged from simple painting, drawing and gluing to making masks and face painting. We took the children swimming and on nature walks around the area. Parents collected their children at 5.30pm. There was an evening session on Friday, when a pizza and video party was sometimes held for the older children.
Qualifications: NNEB
Pluses: Getting to experience working in another country with local people and learning about their culture. Working for a company that gives an excellent customer service. Being part of a team. Good salary.
Minuses: It's seasonal work only.
Advice: You have to enjoy working with children and adapt to working with different ages. Do some research on the country you want to work in and be 100 per cent sure it's right for you. Be aware of any cultural differences in the country and respect them. Try to learn a few basic words of the local language.
Would you do it again? I took a two-year break from Tapestry to work as a manager at a local Turkish creche, but I decided to reapply and I'm very happy to have been offered a nanny position again in the Ocakkoy creche for 2005.
