While most people spend the summer working at ice cream stores or interning in big cities, I spent last summer a rather different way. I was a nanny for two Greek children in Athens, Greece.
By the time my study abroad semester was coming to an end in May, I didn’t want to leave. I was having a great time in the city and I wanted to continue practicing my Greek for a few more months. I heard through an administrator that a family nearby was seeking a young college student to live with them and practice English with their kids, so I called the family up and after meeting them in person got the job!
The transition into living fulltime with a new family was actually quite easy. I got up at about 8:30 every day, even though the parents were flexible with my schedule. I would take Elena, the little girl, to the park and zoo in the National Gardens of Athens every day, and we would play at the playground until lunchtime. However, once it got to be July, it became so hot during the day that we needed to find indoor activities. After lunch (which was always unreal—I loved the food they made, and it was so healthy!), I would nap or hang out while she took a nap, and then I would play with them in the afternoon after the little boy, Themistoklis, returned from school. After dinner, we would all watch a movie (they loved Finding Nemo and Rango), and then they would drink their milk and go to bed.
I had a lot of freedom with the family. They understood when I needed some time for myself or wanted to go out at night. Athens at night was stunning, and the house was right beneath the Acropolis with the most amazing view. Everything was open super late, which was something completely different from Boston and quite easy to get used to.
I even got to go on some amazing trips with the family. For a whole week I got to travel around the islands with them on a family friend’s boat and I played on the beach with the kids during the day. I also got to go out with the mom to events around Athens—we became great friends over the summer.
I don’t think I will ever experience the same type of summer that I had last year in Greece. The family was so kind to me and getting paid to see Athens from a whole new perspective was eye-opening, especially getting to witness firsthand the turmoil that has hit the nation. Plus, I got to become (somewhat) tan! I was so lucky to have experienced it. It was an awesome way to spend a few months.