Driving Skills | Health | Education | English Language Skills | Child CareAu Pairs in General | Religion | Telephone | Diet | Miscellaneous

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The following information is generalized and compiled from questions posed to the agents and interviewers in Georgia. Although au pairs from Georgia may or may not have had these experiences/beliefs, Au Pair in America wishes to share this general information with our families.

Driving Skills

1. How expensive/difficult is it to obtain a drivers license?
It costs about $70 and is not too difficult to obtain.

2. What is the process in order to obtain a driver's license, e.g. driving lessons, practical and theoretical test?
A theoretical test, lessons and driving test need to be taken.

3. Is the International Driving License available in your country and at what cost?
Yes, it is available.

4. Do most young women obtain a driving license, and if so, at what age?
Not all woman drive, but if so, they usually obtain the license between 20 and 25 years old.

5. How common is it for 18-26 year olds to own their own car or use the family car?
Most use the family car.

6. Are most cars manual or automatic?
Manual

Health

1. Most common inoculations
Tetanus, diphtheria, polio, BCG (tuberculosis), mumps, typhoid, whooping cough, measles.

2. Inoculation for TB (Tuberculosis)?
Yes.

3. Does your country have a free health service?
In some medical cases, free service is available.

4. Cost and regularity of visits to the dentist
Comparing it to other countries, it is inexpensive. Visits depend on the individual, but mostly occur regularly.

5. In America "eating disorders" are regularly diagnosed in young women. What do you know about this problem in your country?
Not very common.

Education

1. Percentage of young women that go on to university
95%.

2. Alternatives chosen if not attending university
Most of those who do not go to university live in small villages and usually do laboring.

3. Importance of educational opportunities of the Au Pair in America programme to the au pair
It is quite important, as they are interested in improving their language skills.

4. Start and finish of the academic year
September to May/June.

English Language Skills

1. Is English a compulsory subject in the schools in your country?
Yes.

2. Description of the study of English in schools, e.g. from what age English is taught, how many years is English compulsory, courses focused on written or oral skills
It depends which school the students attend. In public schools they start studying from 4th form for 4 hours a week. Mostly it is focused on written skills and basic grammar. As a rule many student have private English language teachers before entering University, as they have to pass the English exam in order to continue with their studies.

Child Care
1. Common attitudes to and types of discipline for children
Child care is one of the most important duties in Georgia. Mostly mothers are not working and they are taking care of the children. Children are raised in a warm, friendly, and caring family environment.

2. Physical discipline of children
It is not accepted at all.

3. How child care is obtained if formal qualification not held
Almost all young women in Georgia are experienced in child care. Georgian young women are very family-oriented and familiar with taking care of family and neighbors' children. They also have child care experience with different families in a formal and informal manner, and many of them have had au pair experience in Germany.

4. Sharing child care responsibilities by both parents
Generally it is the mother's responsibility, but fathers do also get involved.

5. Both working parents
Traditionally, only the husband would work, but it is becoming more common for both parents to work.

Au Pairs in General

1. The concept of being an 'au pair'
It is well know.

2. The motivation of young people to want to be an au pair
Experiencing life in America is the greatest motivation, and most of them would like to learn English as well. Many young women are currently studying medicine, and they would find the child care experience in America invaluable.

3. Improving job potential upon returning home after a year in the U.S.A.
It most definitely improves their job potential as their English would be good, which is a very important requirement for applying for a job in Georgia. Also the fact that they spent a year in America will count in their favor.

4. Current level of unemployment
It is very high, about 70%.

5. Finding the fees for the Au Pair in America program
Au Pair are usually from the middle class of the population and won't have a problem obtaining the fees.

Religion

1. Most common religions
Majority are Christian Orthodox, Muslim or Catholic.

2. Practice of religion by young people
Most of them attend church on a regular basis.

3. Would a young person choose to practice a religion that is different than her family's religion?
They will more than likely stick to their own religion.

4. Common religious practices e.g. special practices or dietary restrictions
No.

Telephone

1. Telephones in the home
Yes.

2. Would most parents/family speak English well enough to take a message from an American Host Family?
Mostly brothers or sisters will speak English, but if parents are not young, they will not speak English.

3. Computer or e-mail access.
Yes, if not at home, they will be able to visit an Internet café.

Diet

1. Attitudes to eating meat
Most young people eat meat.

2. Vegetarianism
Not very common.

3. Other common dietary traditions
None.

Miscellaneous

1. Freedom of their family to socialize and date
They do have freedom, but parents are a little stricter with young women.

2. Curfews at home
Yes, they do, especially at younger ages.

3. Sharing household chores
Not only sharing, but being completely responsible for it.

4. Diversity of population
Ethnically diverse.

5. Three main characteristics of the people
Hospitable, warm and open-minded.

6. Attitudes to nudity both in and out of the home, e.g. sunbathing in the nude?
Very conservative.

Additional useful information
Young people in Georgia are very active, and they are always trying to be involved in all kinds of interesting activities. They have warm and friendly personalities and are aware of things that happen in the world. They are very sociable and like meeting new people and being around friends.

Au Pair in America®, 2007