I spent one year working as a British governess in Saint Petersburg, Russia. This experience was amazing. My main responsibility was a very cute 8-year-old girl and I also occasionally tutored her 16-year-old sister. I was given an amazing, contemporary (the kind that has glass walls and modern furniture) and super comfortable three-bedroom house on the family grounds, a 5-minute walk from their house. My schedule was amazing as I only worked from lunch time to dinner time on the weekdays as both girls were at school and then around 8 hours on the weekends. I was working on a rota schedule which meant that I’d work for 3 weeks and then be flown back home for another 3 weeks to rest. I had so much down time while I was in Saint Petersburg that I attended Russian and drawing lessons, I signed up to the loveliest gym and got to hang out with a lot of expats I met there.
The job itself was very nice too. The family was very friendly and welcoming. They’d travel internationally very often and so I got to visit countries such as Germany, Greece, Spain, France and Switzerland among others. I had the chance to experience what it’s like to fly on private planes and we’d also spend a lot of time on beautiful yachts sailing from island to island in the Mediterranean Sea. We’d stay at the nicest hotels at all these locations we’d and I also got to organize all kinds of fun and educational activities with the girls, from going to the cinema or shopping to jet skiing, paragliding or driving quads in the countryside.
Working in Saint Petersburg was a lovely experience on a personal level too as I got to explore all the museums, historic sites and churches on my time off. The city is very beautiful and full of little canals and bridges – they call it the Venice of Russia. The architecture is amazing because it has been influenced by many different European countries and there is something different to do every day!
Working as an international English nanny and governess is a very fun experience that brings many rewards. Thanks to English Nanny Agency and Valentin I felt comfortable and safe through the whole period of my contract. You get to save a lot of money as the salaries are great and you basically have no living expenses, you travel the world in the most luxurious fashion, you get to learn about new cultures and you contribute to the wellbeing and development of precious little children, all in one job.