Yes, many of my friends also went to Oman. Some are relaxing there and some flew out, there are PJ going out from there at the moment. But I don’t like the idea of flying in the air along side missiles and drones 🙈 so I’ll wait until it calms down. I had a flight booked to the US for next week 🤷🏻‍♀️ but I think I’ll chill here for a bit as it feels much safer on the ground compared to what I see in the sky 👀

💕🫂

Thank you 🫂

♥️🫂

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If you’ll indulge an expat’s perspective from the ground here in Dubai, I’m happy to respond with a touch of clarity. 😵‍💫Your comment: “Why on earth would any decent person spend their money in UAE?” ✨My Response: Everyone speaks English, all religions are fine, you can leave your bag on the beach without worrying, service is great, top schools if you have kids, it’s a beautiful mix of people from everywhere, and it’s becoming a huge finance/tech hub like early Wall Street. Tons of opportunity and growth. Healthcare’s solid, streets are clean and calm (even with stuff going on in the region), and the government keeps things stable so life just goes on normally. You sleep easy here. If that’s not a draw for the discerning traveler or indeed the discerning resident, I’m not sure what is. 😵‍💫Your comment: “Dubai was built on slavery” ✨My Response: History everywhere has dark parts. No country’s hands are clean. The locals themselves hail from Bedouin tribes not so long ago, mere decades before the federation in 1971, many lived modestly as pearl divers, fishermen, or nomads in a harsh desert landscape, building what they could with the limited wages and resources available then. As the oil era dawned and vision met opportunity, wages rose, infrastructure surged, and this place transformed at a pace few nations have matched, much like any booming society that starts small and scales up through determination. Migrant workers are key here. They come voluntarily for better pay than back home and send billions back to their families (India, Pakistan, Philippines, etc.). Reforms keep happening: better sick pay, leave, health rules, easier to switch jobs. Some still work tough hours in the heat, no doubt, but protections are improving (new laws in 2024/2025, ILO stuff). A lot of us leave water/snacks for delivery guys. Small things, but people here are generally kind and willing to held anything that asks for help. 😵‍💫Your comment: “It’s the only place in the world you can get child s** slaves delivered… like a doordash and police… look the other way…” ✨My Response: Human trafficking in any form is a global scourge, and the UAE has laws with severe penalties (years to life imprisonment), dedicated anti-trafficking units, and prosecutions. I have not seen any credible evidence that supports routine, unchecked “delivery” of children; such claims distort isolated horrors into systemic policy. Your claim is a horrible exaggeration. 😵‍💫Your comment: “UAE is literally the Arab version of Israel” ✨My Response: This seems more of a geopolitical jab than reasoned critique, so I really don’t even k ow what to tell you. Experiences differ, and fair criticism is fine when it’s based on facts, not hype. But for those of us here, it’s stable, opportunity-packed, warm in winter months, and yeah, a very nice day-to-day life. Come visit with an open mind sometime. It might surprise you.

The confidence of the distant observer is always a marvel, pronouncing one’s safety as mere “luck” while waving away the very mechanisms that have preserved it. From my vantage point here in Dubai, where distant sounds of missiles being intercepted remind us constantly that vigilance is no luxury, allow me a measured reply grounded in what’s actually unfolding. The assertion that Iran confines its efforts solely to American military bases and a few other strategic locations is accurate here in Dubai at the moment, but incomplete. The military bases here house real people; sons, fathers, daughters, mothers, and colleagues who face acute and immediate perils as primary targets in these barrages, enduring heightened risks and fear that many of us farther from such sites can only imagine. We all share the unease when alerts sound, knowing the situation remains unpredictable and targets can shift at any moment. We see that recent barrages in other locations have extended beyond military sites so we are fully aware. We also know that just because you are not a target, does not mean danger is not around the corner, especially when living in times where many countries have nuclear. No one is untouched by this, and I find it regrettable to brush off such human cost as mere “luck”. True safety isn’t a matter of fortunate targeting; it’s fragile for civilians and service members alike, and pretending otherwise diminishes the very real risks we all navigate. I remain calm trusting the authorities will issue clear and timely alerts so we can take appropriate shelter if needed. I will do all I can to stay composed yet vigilant, following guidance to minimize risks where possible. I do not attribute my presence here or these events to mere luck; it is informed awareness, reliance on effective defenses and communication, timing (smallest bit of luck here), and quiet confidence in the systems protecting everyone. I will do all that I can, but, if it is my time, then it is my time, no matter where I am. Regarding the air defenses you ‘dismissed as “pathetic patriot interceptor missiles” that supposedly inflict more civilian harm than they prevent’, the record speaks otherwise. UAE authorities, employing a layered system including Patriots, THAAD, and others, have achieved interception rates frequently cited in the high 90s across hundreds of incoming ballistic missiles and drones. Most threats are neutralized high above, sparing the city far worse devastation. Yes, successful interceptions produce debris, and in high-volume scenarios some fragments inevitably fall, causing regrettable damage and injuries, a grim but known trade-off in modern air warfare. Without these systems operating at such effectiveness, the alternative would be unchecked impacts on densely built areas, with consequences orders of magnitude higher for civilians and military personnel alike. The defenses are not perfect, but they have demonstrably shielded far more lives and infrastructure than any collateral from fragments has harmed. My presence here stems not from pure luck, but from confidence in a government that has communicated transparently, mobilized robust protections, and maintained remarkable order amid pressure. Daily routines persist, cafes open, deliveries arrive because we must still live, people move about, because the response has been professional and proportionate. I trust those on the front lines far more than armchair tallies from afar. Obviously, should Iran decide to expand their missile targets, the authorities here will alert us promptly, and we would not then head to the beach for a deep calming breath or sit at a cafe for a friend’s birthday. So this is not me being “lucky”; this is me understanding where I am, what I can do about it, and my trust in the government here. When the skies quiet (and they will), come see the resilience firsthand. It’s quieter, steadier, and more convincing than the narratives suggest.