Hattie Veltman of Ashburton and her family are staying put in Dubai.
While instability has descended on the Middle East as America bombs Iran, the 42-year-old and husband Mark and their three children say they feel safe in the nearby country of the United Arab Emirates.
‘‘There is certainly nothing to complain about considering what people in Iran, Lebanon and especially Gaza are going through,’’ Veltman said.
The first day of conflict had been ‘‘intense’’.
‘‘We hadn’t expected it to affect the UAE, so it was understandably unsettling. However, the UAE has demonstrated that its highly sophisticated defence systems work.
“At times we can hear missile interceptions overhead and the government has regularly advised residents to shelter in place while a threat is dealt with,’’ Veltman said.
‘‘We feel very safe in the city. The authorities have been extremely transparent about what is happening, and that openness has built a lot of trust among residents.’’
She felt the situation had sometimes been dramatised in overseas media coverage.
‘‘In reality, people here who wish to leave have options to do so without government assistance.
“There have been Emirates flights to Australia, for example, since the conflict began, many of them only half full, with more scheduled in the coming days.
“The embassy has also been very proactive in notifying people about upcoming travel options,’’ Veltman said.
‘‘On the occasions when airspace has temporarily closed, residents have still been able to drive across the Omani border and fly out from there.’’
Veltman has been living in Dubai since 2009, when she had the opportunity to teach at one of the city’s international schools.
‘‘I met my Dutch husband here, and because of the proximity to both New Zealand and the Netherlands, the wonderful weather for much of the year, and the opportunity to travel widely, we decided to stay,’’ she said.
‘‘We’ve come to love the diversity of the city, which is home to more than 200 nationalities. Raising children in an environment where different races and religions are widely accepted has been a wonderful experience.’’
Before the conflict began, our intention was to move back home to New Zealand this year, and that remains our plan.
While the New Zealand government has deployed two RNZAF Hercules aircraft to the Middle East for potential evacuations, they are currently on standby.
