I was 18 years old when I decided to move to Italy. It was a difficult choice, leaving my family and my country, Israel, to go to a place where I didn’t know anyone. It was an important decision, and I wasn’t sure if I could handle such a big change.
When I arrived in Italy, I was scared. It was a strange feeling—being alone in a new country, experiencing something completely different. It was as if, all at once, I had to transform into an independent woman.
What I loved most about Italy were the people. In moments when I felt lost and lonely, I found friends. They were the ones who held my hand. Over time, they helped me understand that home isn’t just the place where you’re born—it’s also the people you meet along the way.
It took me a long time to adjust to life in Italy, about two years. During that time, I missed my family and my country deeply. At first, I didn’t feel like I belonged. Growing up as an Arab girl in an Arab society and then moving to a Western country was a hard shift. The cultural differences made everything feel overwhelming at first. But with time, something inside me changed. I stopped feeling out of place, I started to find my balance. One day, I realized I didn’t want to leave Italy anymore. I wanted to stay, and I tried to show the Italian people that being an Arab is okay. I wanted to explain to them the complicated life we live in Israel.
Being an Arab woman and a doctor is something deeply meaningful to me, especially since I started specializing in psychiatry. I want to tell women—especially Arab women—not to be afraid of growing, not to fear being strong or independent. Keep moving forward. I want them to know there’s nothing wrong with being on their own. Change is always possible, even when it feels impossible.
