Hadija

Meet Kadija , a Georgian woman who has moved to Italy with her teenager daughter. Moving to Italy has meant relearning everything. She states that learning feels different when it’s something you have to do out of necessity rather than choice.

STARTING OVER

Moving to a new country is like starting over. Everything is different, everything is new and teaches you something, even cooking a simple dish of pasta. It’s always: “Ah, so this is how it’s done here.” Then there’s the language, the way people interact, even just going to the post office— every single thing is an experience. And when you manage to figure something out, even a small thing, it feels like an achievement., a “Okay, I can do this.”

Things that are important

There’s my daughter. She’s settled in so well, it’s incredible. She makes friends so easily, as if she’s always lived here. Watching her find her way, doing things her way, makes me really proud.

And then there are the bags. I love making them. I use whatever material I can find: fabric, leather, anything that catches my eye. People always say, “Why don’t you open a shop?” And I always say that I don’t think I can do that. Selling them feels strange, like I’m giving away a little bit of myself. For now, I just give them away when I feel like it and it feels right.