Inside Scoop On Being A Nanny In Moscow

06
July, 2018
We speak to former British nanny Julia about her experiences working for a V.I.P family in Moscow.   
How did you come to be a nanny in Moscow?
I was working as a TEFL teacher in Hong Kong and came across nanny and governess positions in Moscow online and was astounded by the salary.  After travelling around Asia after finishing my teaching contract I came back to England.  Itchy feet set in quickly and I was ready for another adventure! After doing a Skype interview and being offered the job things moved along quickly and after receiving my visa, I was ready for the off.  Lots of my friends and family thought I was mad to go to Moscow on my own but I’d always been really intrigued by the culture and was excited for this new chapter.
What were your first impressions of Moscow?
I was picked up at the airport by the family driver, given a new sim card and spoke to my employer.  The mother was so friendly greeting me with an excited “Welcome to Moscow!”.  I’d hadn’t realised how vast the city is and had envisaged being in the city centre.  Many wealthy families live on the outskirts of the city in the Rublyovka area, (dubbed ‘Millionaire’s Row’) which was where I was headed for.  The family provided me with my own apartment a ten minute walk through the forest to their home.  I was welcomed with a fridge full of giant sausages and an abundance of cottage cheese like products!
Was the language barrier an issue?
The Mum and Dad of the family I worked for both spoke English, as did the children’s native speaking nanny.  Some of the other staff members didn’t speak English so there was lots of awkward gesturing to begin with and in time I picked up some Russian.  Oh and iPhone translator was a lifesaver too.  The children I worked with didn’t have much prior knowledge of English so this was difficult at first, but over time we bonded and understood each other much better.  At first building trust with the children may be a challenge as they may not be used to someone around who speaks another language. 
Describe Moscow in 3 words
Magical, unpredictable and original.
Best thing about nannying in Moscow?
Tree-climbing, hop scotch and even dress-up gets children moving much more than a television or computer game could. It is suggested that children over the age of two should engage in at least an hour a day of moderate, enjoyable physical activity.  In contrast to passive entertainment, play builds active, healthy bodies.  In fact, it has been suggested that encouraging unstructured play may be a great way to increase physical activity levels in children
Would you recommend nannying?
I would most definitely recommend nannying or mannying to anyone who is looking for an incredible new experience.  If you love children, travel and want to make a difference, it’s a unique and rewarding opportunity.  I am so glad that I made the decision to nanny in Moscow, its one of the best things I ever did!

If you’re a graduate with teaching or childcare experience, and would like to learn more about nanny opportunities in Moscow and beyond, please visit our website www.greatbritishnannies.com.

For things to see in Moscow click here.

Or you can find out more about nannying here.