Turkey, the "Land of Dreams and Wonders" - by C.E. Coordinator Casady Monroe

Cultural Embrace is launching a new Childcare Program in Turkey. I anticipate that several prospective Au Pairs might look at Turkey the same way my mother did when I invited her on a trip there in 2009. My mother had just come back from visiting Egypt, and she was expecting something similar: areas of great impoverishment, the need for armed guards to accompany us, men bartering camels in exchange for the women in our group. The great thing about travel is that is destroys our preconceived notions of what a place looks like and how its people act. Turkey is incredibly modern, hospitable, safe, and it offers everything that a young person could dream of. It’s one of the only countries that straddles two continents: Europe and Asia!

My Mother & I with Turkish College Students on Bosphorus River

One of the overwhelmingly wonderful things about Turkey is how friendly its people are. While on a tour of the Bosphorus River, a group of college girls approached me wanting to practice their English and teach me traditional Turkish folk dancing. My tour group visited a local school, and the students spontaneously serenaded us. The corner store cashier was patient as I tried to mime my need for shampoo (my Turkish vocabulary fell short). And several times I was invited into strangers’ homes to have dinner. Dinner in Turkey is no simple affair: it’s a several-hours-long ordeal with veggies (or ‘wedgies’ as the Turkish say), cheeses, soup, salads, breads, lamb, chicken, borek (phyllo dough with potatoes and other stuffings), fish, kebabs, dolmas, and at least two desserts. Everything comes with lemons on the side, and even if you refuse seconds, you’re bound to receive them anyways. (I later learned a technique for balancing my spoon on top of my bowl and cups to indicate, “No more!”) One night when I was just too full to consume my fair share, my tour guide knocked on my hotel door later with a platter of meats, “just in case” my appetite picked up later in the night. That is how much the Turkish wish to keep you well fed.

This is just the salad course!!

Cappadocia

 During our trip, we visited Istanbul, Antalya, Cappadocia, and Ephesus. Istanbul had great shopping and wonderful night life in addition to the historical buildings one would expect (the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace). Antalya offered beautiful beaches and warm weather. In Cappadocia, the ground was covered in snow. Ephesus was full of ancient archaeology and religious sites. Turkey offered a bit of everything in terms of weather, climate, and things to see and do.

Antalya

I’m thrilled to introduce our participants to Turkey—a land known as the cradle of civilization and home to a huge number of ancient cultures, yet bustling with youthful activity. All of our families for childcare placements  are English-speaking, modern families who live in large cities. They offer a weekly stipend, plus a bonus at the end of your term, private room, all meals (Yum!), wi-fi in the home, and pay the cost of your visa and residence permit. Participants will also have the option of taking additional part-time employment as a daytime nanny, one-on-one English tutor, or ESL teacher in a school. Cultural Embrace's Childcare Program is a great way to earn money and live in Turkey, the “Land of Dreams and Wonders”.
-Casady Monroe
Childcare Coordinator for Cultural Embrace