"I wouldn’t wish emigration on anyone, not even on my worst enemy."

Interview with Georgian Migrant Caretaker Nestani in Italy

I’ve launched a Substack series featuring interviews with Georgian migrant workers in Italy. Rooted in workers' inquiry, this project aims to connect the struggles of emigrant workers with those still in Georgia. As more workers leave and remittances become essential, class struggle at home is being reshaped. Many union members have already emigrated or plan to, citing low wages and a pervasive sense of hopelessness. Women—especially teachers, nurses, and doctors—are being pushed out by poverty, debt, and the collapse of social protections under neoliberal reforms. These stories reveal how migration becomes a survival strategy—a personal tragedy and a consequence of poor domestic conditions—while continuing the cycle of economic exploitation that sustains social reproduction in Western Europe.

This is the third interview in the series! If you want more in-depth investigations like this—and to learn about the overlooked stories of Georgian workers at home and abroad—support my work.

N: Please introduce yourself.
Nestani: My name is Nestani.

N: How old are you?
Nestani: I’m 46 years old. I’ve been an immigrant for two years now.

N: How long did you originally plan to stay abroad?
Nestani: Just one year. But now it’s been two, and I don’t know how much longer I’ll have to stay.

N: Where are you from?
Nestani: I’m from Imereti, from Tskaltubo specifically.

N: What was your profession in Georgia?
Nestani: I’m a nurse specializing in obstetrics. But due to the low pay, I couldn’t work in my field. I had to take jobs in restaurants and bakeries instead—they paid more.

N: How many people are you supporting back in Georgia?
Nestani: Five people. My husband works too, but only here and there—he doesn’t have stable employment. I’m the main breadwinner.

N: Why did you decide to leave Georgia?
Nestani: We had no income. We couldn’t support ourselves. That’s why I left—because of economic hardship.

N: Did you have any debts when you left?
Nestani: Yes, I did. I just finished paying them off.

N: Were any of them bank loans?
Nestani: When I left I did have a bank loan and some small debts.

N: What was your journey like to get here?
Nestani: It was incredibly hard. The language barrier was a huge struggle, and adjusting to a new family was very difficult—though I tolerate it. Honestly, I wouldn’t wish emigration on anyone, not even on my worst enemy.

N: Have you changed jobs often?
Nestani: No, this is only my second job. But soon after I arrived—within two months—I had to have gallbladder surgery. I became very ill.

N: Who helped you during that time?
Nestani: My first host family took me to the hospital.

N: Did you have to pay for the surgery?
Nestani: No, it was an emergency surgery, so I didn’t have to pay.

N: How is your health now?
Nestani: My health is okay now, but I still can’t tolerate the experience of emigration. It’s emotionally very difficult.

N: How much did you pay for the trip when you first left?
Nestani: 500 euros.

N: Was that money borrowed from the bank?
Nestani: No, I borrowed it from a friend.

N: Do you have legal documents now?
Nestani: No, and I’m not planning to get any.

N: So are you working without legal status?
Nestani: Yes

N: Do you know what documents are required to work legally?
Nestani: No, and I’m not interested.

N: Why not?
Nestani: If I start dealing with documents, it’ll only prolong my stay here. This place feels like a swamp—I don’t want to sink into it. If you stop asking yourself when you’ll leave, it pulls you in deeper and deeper. I know life in Georgia is difficult, almost unbearable, but I still prefer it. At first, I didn’t understand what I was getting into here. But once I saw it with my own eyes, I realized—I’d rather eat whatever I can in Georgia and be satisfied.

N: What is your goal in staying here?
Nestani: I want to finish the renovation of my house and then go back.

N: Did you pay any money to start working?
Nestani: No.

N: Do you know how people find employment agencies?
Nestani: I have no idea.

N: So how did you leave Georgia in the first place?
Nestani: A very close acquaintance covered all the expenses and brought me here. I didn’t pay a thing. I stayed with her until I started working—within a month. I never dealt with employment agencies. That acquaintance found both of my jobs.

N: Can you describe a typical day for you?
Nestani: I wake up at 8 in the morning, take care of the grandmother, and prepare breakfast.

N: Do you live alone?
Nestani: No, there are two of us Georgian caregivers. I care for the grandmother; she takes care of the child.

N: What is it like living together with another Georgian?
Nestani: It’s very good—pleasant and supportive. We help each other a lot.

N: Do you have your own room?
Nestani: No, I sleep in the same room as the grandmother. The other caregiver has her own room.

N: Do you have a contract?
Nestani: No.

N: How do you work? What is your agreement with your employer family?
Nestani: I started working because it’s very difficult to find anything without documents. They pay me 1,000 euros for everything.

N: Do you have a day off?
Nestani: Yes. I get two hours off per day, half a day on Saturday, and a full day on Sunday.

N: Do you receive overtime pay?
Nestani: No.

N: Was the salary the only thing you agreed on?
Nestani: Yes.

N: Do you wake up often at night?
Nestani: Yes. She wakes up 3–4 times a night, and it wakes me up too. I have trouble falling back asleep.

N: What role do you think you play in your grandmother's life?
Nestani: I am a servant.

N: How do you perceive yourself as a Georgian caregiver in Italy?
Nestani: Very humiliated.

N: Do you think Italy needs you more, or do you need it more?
Nestani: Probably both.

N: How much of your salary do you send to Georgia?
Nestani: I send 80 percent of my total salary.

N: How do your family members value you?
Nestani: They’re very satisfied. They keep telling me to come back and take care of my health.

N: How do you see your role in your own family now?
Nestani: They would probably be very happy if I returned, but I can’t go yet. I want to do something good for the children in my family. I don’t want them to go through what I’ve gone through.

N: Do you have a husband?
Nestani: Yes, and two daughters—26 and 18 years old.

N: Has your relationship with your husband changed since you left?
Nestani: He hasn’t been able to adjust to my absence.

N: Are your children students?
Nestani: Yes.

N: Are you paying for their studies?
Nestani: Yes.

N: How do you perceive all this psychologically?
Nestani: It’s extremely difficult. It’s very hard to live in someone else’s home and be far from everyone.

N: Does something hurt you physically?
Nestani: No, nothing physically. Only the pain of missing my family.

N: What do you eat? How do you feed yourself?
Nestani: Whatever they eat, I eat too.

N: Have you ever thought about injuring yourself?
Nestani: No, I don’t ever want to imagine reaching that state.

N: How is your family adapting to your being here?
Nestani: It's very difficult for them. They would be happy if I went back immediately.

N: Has anyone ever come to help you? Have you talked to anyone about your hardship?
Nestani: No.

N: What would you be interested in knowing about labor laws?
Nestani: Everything that I am entitled to by law.

N: Do you know any organizations or Italian trade unions? Would you be interested in them?
Nestani: No, I don’t know any.

N: Have you ever used any public institution, like CAF?
Nestani: No.

N: When you're in trouble, who do you go to for help?
Nestani: Only the person who brought me here.

N: How do you imagine your life in Georgia in the future?
Nestani: I hope that everything changes for the better and that I can live peacefully there then I can clearly imagine my life back in Georgia.