Cliff Jumping & a Wedding Dress: C’s Week Abroad
One of our favorite things about hosting au pairs is hearing how they spend their time off. For C, one week meant island hopping around Greece on a long weekend — complete with a birthday cliff jump, a surprise wedding dress purchase, and dinner overlooking the Acropolis. Here’s her week, in her own words.
What She Was Grateful For
“This week I am grateful for travel buddies! I seriously don’t know what I’d do without them.”
The Hardest Part of the Week
“Something challenging this week was traveling a lot! Lots of airports, ferries, and busses… super tiring!”
Her “Wow” Moment
“A wow moment this week was when I made a dessert that had been in my family for years for my host family! They were super appreciative — they didn’t necessarily like it, hahaha, but they were happy I took the time to make it with them.”
Her advice for fellow au pairs: sharing a family recipe with your host family — even an imperfect one — goes a long way. It’s a small gesture that says you’re not just living in their home, you’re part of it.
The Full Story: A Long Weekend in Greece
“This week was a dream! I went to Greece and it was unbelievable! We got to Santorini on Wednesday and explored the island and went shopping. Thursday was my birthday, so we went cliff jumping and then out to dinner. We even made a new friend from Oia, Santorini!”
“Friday we took the ferry (eight hours!) to Athens. Saturday we explored the city, and I even bought my wedding dress there — it was so surreal. The shop owner I bought my dress from made reservations for the three of us to eat on the 11th floor of a restaurant overlooking the Acropolis.”
“That evening we toured the Acropolis and watched the sunset over it during dinner. Sunday we headed to the airport and flew home. Everything went so smoothly, and the people in Greece were so kind. We made lots of new friends along the way — it’s a trip I’ll never forget.”
Weekends like this are exactly why so many au pairs choose a home base in Italy — the country’s central location makes it easy to reach nearby Greece by budget flight or ferry when you have a few days off.
FAQ: Au Pair Travel & Time Off
Do au pairs get time off for trips like this?
Yes — most au pair placements include structured days off and vacation time. Exact schedules vary by host family, so you’ll go over the details during matching and before you commit to a placement.
How do au pairs typically afford weekend trips like this?
Au pairs receive a weekly allowance from their host family, and many choose to save part of it for weekend travel. Budget flights and ferries between European countries make short trips like a Greece getaway more affordable than you might expect.
Is it common for au pairs to travel during their placement?
Very common. Living abroad puts you close to countries you might otherwise only visit once, so many au pairs use their days off to explore — solo, with host family friends, or with other au pairs they meet along the way.
What does a typical “week in the life” look like for a Rome Abroad au pair?
Every week looks a little different, since it depends on the host family and the season. Weekdays usually center around childcare and family routines, while evenings and days off are open for language classes, local exploring, or trips like C’s.
If weeks that mix host family moments with spontaneous adventures like C’s sound like the life you want, living abroad as an au pair might be the perfect fit.
Part of the Rome Abroad team helping young women live and work abroad as au pairs since 2015.
