Nebula Rebellion
😢 I AM A NURSE FROM THE PHILIPPINES… BUT IN ITALY I CLEAN FLOORS IN A NURSING HOME 😭→❤️ The hardest part is looking in the mirror and no longer recognizing yourself. My name is Amihan Cruz. I am 35 years old, from Cebu, Philippines. Three years ago, I came to Milan 🇮🇹 through a skilled worker visa as a nurse (BSN, 5 years of hospital experience in the Philippines). I thought: “My qualifications will be recognized here. I’ll work in a hospital. My son will get a good education. My family will be proud of me.” I left my husband and my son Miguel (he was 7 years old). At the airport, he hugged me and said: “Mom, you’ll become a nurse in Italy, just like you promised?” I answered: “Yes, anak. Mommy will come back and bring you with her.” I arrived with a diploma, hope, and a plan. Reality was harsh. The recognition process for the nursing qualification in Italy (riconoscimento del titolo through the Ministry of Health) takes years: submission of documents to the Ministero della Salute, translations and apostilles, Italian language exam (B2 level), professional equivalence exam, sometimes an adaptation period or integrative course — all of it costs thousands of euros and takes 2–4 years, often longer due to bureaucracy and long queues. I tried several times: First time I submitted documents in 2023 — waited 13 months, then rejection: “insufficient practice hours according to Italian standards” + “additional course required”. Paid 1,200 € for a new submission, translations and apostilles — again a 10-month queue. In 2024 I submitted again — still waiting, already 9 months, and again they ask for extra documents and payment of 800 € for the evaluation. Every time — huge expenses: translations 400–600 €, apostilles 200–300 €, language courses and exams 1,000–1,800 €, submission 500–900 €. While waiting — you still have to survive. I work as an Operatore Socio-Sanitario (OSS) / caregiver in a casa di riposo (nursing home). Elderly care. Feeding. Cleaning rooms, bathr
