Working abroad in childcare is an intense, lively experience. Okay, so is working in childcare in the UK, but the work itself, and the life outside of it, differ in a number of key ways.
Spending a season in almost any resort is a very sociable affair, in terms of your job and your free time.
'The social life's great,' says Gemma Forman, who worked two seasons for Nannies Abroad, and is heading out to the Alps this winter for her third.
'When I went to Turkey, we had 40 kids' club reps and we all lived in the same building. We each had our own rooms, but there was always someone up for going out when you were.'
Always active
As well as the usual fare of resort nightlife - bars, restaurants, cafes and cinemas - there's a wealth of more adventurous activities on offer, which are often paid for by your employer, or at least available at a discount.
'I got to go parasailing, do loads of water sports, learn to windsurf and ski,' says Gemma. 'You get to come out of it with some really good memories.'
You will find many opportunities to get to know the country you are visiting, too. Life overseas need not be confined to the resort.
Gemma says, 'When you finish work in England, you go home and do whatever.
But out there, on your days off you actually get to go and explore. It really is like being on holiday on your day off. You can go out travelling and see different parts of the world.'
You can also work long hours, although this, like most of the conditions in this type of work, varies quite a lot from job to job. On average, you can expect a five-and-a-half day week, with perhaps an evening or two as well.
Evening work will usually yield extra pay and tips.
You may often find yourself with spare time during the day; it just depends on the job and the organisation. It is best to ask prospective employers about the maximum time you will be expected to work, and choose conditions you will be happy with.
Despite any hard slog, the surroundings and the nature of the work may make it feel a lot easier.
'You get really long days sometimes - it is hard work,' says Paul Nicks, who has worked seasons for six years with Thomson Holidays and Nannies Abroad. 'But you do get your benefits of sunshine and great people you work with. When you wake up every morning and the sun is shining, you've got that smile on your face already.'
Social ties
The work you will be doing requires a different type of interaction with your charges, which is enjoyable in itself.
'The children are on holiday when I've got them,' explains Gemma. 'All they're there for is to have fun. It definitely makes it a lot more enjoyable just knowing they're having fun, because then you're having fun and it's a lot more relaxed.
'I've worked in nurseries in England, and you do get to know the children better, but you have more of a structure to your day. You have to get in certain parts of the early learning curriculum and you have to teach them things.'
'It's more fun in resorts,' adds Paul. 'It's just fun and games. The children are on holiday; they've come here to get away from school.'
There's also a different type of interaction with your work colleagues. You are living with people you've never met before, and working with them too, so you will need to be able to get on well with people and be willing to chip in your share of the washing up. But you can also get very close.
'I've come away with some really good friends out of it, who I still keep in touch with now,' says Gemma. 'One girl who I worked with in the French Alps I've not seen since I left, and I'm going to Scotland to see her next week. You do make amazing friends out of it.'
It's not just your co-workers who become your friends. As Paul says, 'You just meet loads of different people. I've been adopted: I'm so many people's son and grandson! And I've still got children's reps phoning me from 1999 and 2000. Loads of guests are still in contact. I've been invited so many times to Scotland, or up north. People say, "Come and stay with us when you're home, get in contact". It's brilliant.'
The camaraderie of the team is a great help to first-timers, who often find it hard to adjust early on, especially if it is their first time away from home.
'Other people out there are in exactly the same position, that they've not done it before,' says Gemma. 'Then there are other people who have done it and they'll say, "Just give it a week", and you feel so much better. This year when I go back, it'll be me saying to the new people, "Look, I've been in the same position as you". You all keep each other's spirits up.'
Value for money
Pay levels vary widely. You could be earning anything from 60 to Pounds 200 per week. However, considering how few expenses you'll have, this will largely be disposable income.
Gemma says, 'Obviously, working in England I'd get paid more. But the lifestyle's different. If I was at home working in a nursery, I'd have more money, but then I'd need to find somewhere to live, pay rent, pay car insurance, buy food. I've got friends who do that and by the end of the month, they've got absolutely nothing to spend on themselves.'
Nearly all of the tour operators will pay for your flights to and from the resort. If your meals are not paid for, you often get an additional food allowance.
Actual meal arrangements vary from employer to employer. Any such benefits that are not included should be reflected in your salary. Be sure to check out all the details of what you will and won't have to pay for, and balance them against your prospective earnings.
Those who do have to buy one or two of their daily meals tend to club together to go shopping, which reduces food costs. Sometimes, as Gemma found, children's parents will take care of lunch. She says, 'If the parents pay for your lunch, you just eat lots so you don't need as much for an evening meal!'
Very good tips can be offered for babysitting or in private nanny work and it is possible to live off these. Either way, it is quite common to come back with money saved.
'In Turkey I was working in an all- inclusive hotel. Everything was free, so that gave me the chance to save,' Gemma says.
'You can save if you want,' says Paul, 'but you can spend if you want. It depends what you're like, really.
'You can watch DVDs and stay in most nights, or you can be more sociable and be out nearly every night, spend all your money and buy loads of clothes.'
'We used to hire a car on our day off and go travelling,' adds Gemma, 'so I didn't save as much as I could have, but I had a better time for doing it.'
Meet the family You are likely to be surrounded by the families you are working with, even when you are not working. But this can sometimes prove a good thing.
'Just walking around, you've got the guests all around you, and nine times out of ten they're really pleased to see you,' says Gemma.
'They're grateful for what you're doing for their children. They say, "Thank you, my children have had a fabulous time", whereas when they're in nursery back home, parents just take it for granted towards the end; they don't thank you every day. We feel proper appreciation, which makes it all worthwhile.'
Some of the parents are so appreciative of the staff that they may offer them jobs back home.
'As a private nanny, they always used to give me their contact details and say "If you're ever back in England come back and see the children". A few people said, "We're looking for a nanny back home, once you finish this, if you want to come and work for us, the job's yours",' Gemma says.
Is it for you?
Ultimately, seasonal work will suit some people down to the ground, but it may not be for everyone.
'You've got to be independent,' says Paul. 'I know of children's reps who've come abroad and haven't got a clue how to use a washing machine, but they do learn. I made the effort to learn when I first came out. Now I'm house-trained and everything!
'You just have to get on well with people and enjoy mixing and mingling.'
If you feel that you might like to have a go and try a job abroad, but are unsure whether that kind of life away from home is really for you, it is important to get as much information as you can from prospective employers.
They will want to be honest, as it is no good for them, either, if you take a job and then become unhappy. A good employer will provide a suitable support network of senior staff. Some phone and visit from the UK to check up on everyone. They are trained and experienced in assessing the suitability of potential employees for this kind of work, so have an open discussion with them to help you decide if it is for you.
'Everyone gets their homesickness times,' says Gemma, 'and some days all you want to do is go home. But it does get better.'
And having tried seasonal work once, you might well find it addictive.
Gemma adds, 'I was a bit scared about it at first, but I just thought I might as well give it a go. And now I'm hooked!'
