The term “au pair” is French for “on equal terms with”, and working as an au pair will usually be an enriching experience since your relationship with your host family will be based on mutual respect and love of children and family life. Au pairs are generally females between 18 and 30, but there is nothing to prevent young men from being au pairs and in fact this is becoming more and more common. As an au pair you do not require any special qualifications (as a nanny would) or any special psychological training. An au pair's duties normally include taking care of the children, perhaps a pet, doing light housework such as vacuuming and dusting, as well as helping with preparation of meals. You will usually have to pay for travel costs to get to your host family and any necessary language classes yourself. Extra babysitting may also be required.

There are a good number of possibilities for finding au pair work in Athens. As an English speaker you will be at an advantage since parents are often looking for English language exposure for their kids. The local newspaper Athens News is a good place to start looking, as well as the following employment agencies (the code for Athens is 210):

• RESEARCHING HOME, Epirou 5, Athens Tel. 821-6207, 884-3123 FAX 823-7784
• VOULA & APHRODITE GALANI, Em. Benaki 25, Athens, Tel. 380-6252, 382-2559
• INTERTOM, Chalkokondili 24-26, Athens, Tel. 523-9470, 523-9591
• ADONIS, Gladstonos 10, Athens, Tel. 330-0498, 330-0581, 330-2510
• Kalliope Raekou 9 Muses, P.O BOX 76080, 17110 NEA SMIRNI, ATHENS-GREECE, tel. 01 9316588 - 01 9326016 fax 01 9326016;
  Web: http://www.ninemuses.gr/