VOICES From Migrations | Lindita Lazy's story
- Changemakers
- Dec 29, 2025
- 2 min read
"VOICES From Migrations" is a project co-funded by the European Union exploring untold migration stories. Lindita Lazy moved from Albania to Greece in 1996. This is her story:
“I am Lindita Lazy, I’m from Albania, and I came to Greece in 1996, following my father, who had already settled here. Life in Albania was not hard during my youth, but when communism fell and democracy arrived, everything became unstable. I decided to leave as the situation worsened: a Greek neighbor near my father’s house helped us a lot.
At first, life in Greece was very hard: a new language, a foreign world. But people weren’t hostile since they respected my father. I often thought about returning to Albania, as I left behind my cousins, whom I loved. Anyway, Albania and Greece are close culturally, and seeing life here opened my eyes. Leaving was painful, but necessary. Staying united as a family helped us face life’s struggles together.
Today, after 30 years, Greece feels like home. I work in a kitchen at Perrotis College, the American Farm School. The only obstacle? Legal matters have always been a struggle. Even now, I must renew documents constantly because I don’t have a Greek ID yet, and studying for it is hard after a long day of work.
Despite all these challenges, I never felt alone here. Good people surrounded us, though sometimes I still hear hurtful comments about my Albanian roots.
Meanwhile, Greece has become my home, and I don’t regret leaving. The journey didn’t change me as a person. I just wish countries gave IDs more easily, without requiring exams that are hard to manage while working.
My message is simple: life is beautiful, but you must fight for it.”
Interview by: Nikolas Papoulakos, Lorenzo Palmer, Laura Panis, and Yuliia Smykovska
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
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