The escort - a strange profession that occupies an ambiguous little area in our culture. What exactly is an escort? What kind of services do they offer? How much do they cost and where can we find them? Most of us are a little confused I think. So we spoke to a professional escort called Mathilda (name changed obviously). Mathilda doesn't escort here in the UK, she does it in the Middle East. Not only that but she has a masters degree and a high-powered day job.

How did you become an escort?

In the most random way ever! I was travelling in the Middle East and because I refuse to dress like a hairy bloody hippy whilst abroad, I usually look like quite an unlikely traveller. Also, it's quite rare in the Middle East to see a young woman just travelling about on her own. So that's the back drop ;) Lots of men kept asking me if I was working there, etc. When I said no they were quite surprised, so I ended up asking some Arab students why. They told me that these men thought I was a "hostess." At first I was a bit offended but then spoke to a Libyan friend who explained the status of the profession in the Middle East. Anyway I digress.

I was talking to a woman wearing a full burka one day and she introduced me to her husband who then asked me to come for dinner that evening and he'd pay, so I did and it went on from there.

What sort of guys do you get?

Rich Arab men - I have only ever been out with one English guy and never again!

Are any of them hot?

Two have been. But generally Arab men are so charismatic it's less looks and more, erm, I think dapper charm would be the phrase.

What are you expected to do?

It varies, but it is generally to make intelligent conversation at dinner meetings, when they are out with other business colleagues or entertaining investors. It's a sign of status that they can afford an escort because generally devout Muslim women don't talk to strange men and therefore it's difficult in business occasions to take their wives.

Do you pity them slightly?

Not at all. They have wives who know and two wives have introduced me to their husbands for that purpose. The escorting I do is very different to what we have in the West.

Have you ever been in a situation where one of them has broken down in tears about how lonely he is and you've had to spoon him and stroke his hair and hum Swing Low Sweet Chariot in his ear?

NEVER! As I say it's not a date to them or me. It's about showing off wealth to their business colleagues that they can afford to hire me. Nothing to do with romance, etc.

What's the money like?

AMAZING! I generally get paid in the region of 500 pounds for an evening dinner. But I have only spent 3 weeks in the UK this year as they fly me to other countries (business class of course!) to attend functions, etc. So far this year I have worked in New York, Paris, London, Dubai, Israel, Jordan, Morocco and Egypt. I fly to Oman in two weeks time :)

Tell us a funny story.

My second job I ended up at a restaurant and having dinner with us was the Prince of Jordan! Me not being a shrinking violet, I then spent most of the evening dominating the conversation and laying into him about Jordan's lack of support for the Palestinian people and giving him policy advice (I say advice, it was more dictatorial arrogance) about what I felt Jordan should do to stop Israel.

Do you enjoy it?

Love it. My clients are amazing and I get out of cold, no sorry freezing, Britain.