Dubai Expat Student Says He Mostly Felt Safe, and Exams Were Canceled

This as-told-to essay is predicated on a dialog with William Harper, 18, a highschool scholar residing in Dubai. It has been edited for size and readability.

My dad was blowing out the candles on his birthday cake when streaks of sunshine lit up the sky above us.

We had been on a staycation in a historic port city in the UAE, about an hour north of Dubai, the place we reside.

It was a surreal expertise. From our desk, we might see missile interceptions arcing throughout the night time sky — flashes and trails with no influence on the bottom. Workers requested visitors to remain calm.

We would already been planning to leave Dubai for the staycation once we heard the primary bangs that morning. I checked my cellphone and noticed messages from buddies asking if others had heard it. My dad had additionally been advised by contacts that one thing could have been hit close to Abu Dhabi.

Uncertain if roads would possibly shut or how the state of affairs would develop, my household determined to go forward anyway.

Watching issues progress

In the course of the drive, our telephones stored lighting up with updates from Dubai.

Truthfully, on the time, I did not really feel scared. Watching the interceptions felt, in a manner, attention-grabbing — as a result of there was no seen harm, nothing truly touchdown close by.

Nevertheless, on some days later, the explosions had been loud sufficient to shake the home. That was in all probability the one time it felt genuinely scary — not as a result of something hit us, however due to how highly effective the interceptions had been. The cellphone alerts had been additionally intense — sudden, loud alarms warning of potential strikes.

What stood out to me afterward was how totally different all of it felt in comparison with the way it was being portrayed internationally.

Plenty of the protection made it seem to be Dubai had develop into unsafe in a single day, like folks had been panicking. That wasn’t actually the case. My household felt protected, and life, in some ways, carried on.

The largest disruption for me

It wasn’t the assaults themselves — it was college.

I used to be born in London, lived there for 2 years, after which moved to Singapore, the place my little brother was born and the place my household stayed for 12 years.

We moved to Dubai once I was 15. I’ve loved residing in Dubai — there’s quite a bit to do — however the lack of public transport and the visitors may be difficult.

I am in my ultimate yr, and have been finding out for A-levels, that are the primary exams UK college students take on the finish of high school before university.

We would already completed studying all of the course content material — I am finding out math, economics, and politics — and had been deep into revision when every little thing occurred.

Faculties first introduced a brief delay, only a few days, however it stored getting prolonged. Finally, A-Degree and IGCSE exams — two main worldwide highschool {qualifications} — had been canceled nationwide.

That is when issues obtained difficult. Completely different examination boards had to determine easy methods to grade us with out ultimate exams.

In the event you’d requested me how I felt about it, I might say I used to be fairly joyful. I might been working towards the exams, however there’s all the time that uncertainty about whether or not you are totally prepared.

Faculty has now reopened

Exterior of lecturers, most issues, together with soccer coaching, paused at first. My youthful brother’s exams had been canceled as properly, so it wasn’t simply my yr affected. His piano classes weren’t affected; the instructor continued coming to our home.

As for greater occasions like commencement and promenade, these are nonetheless anticipated to go forward as deliberate.

At residence, issues had been largely regular. My dad, who works in media, continued going to work as standard. My mother, who’s in banking, needed to keep residence for a interval as a result of the monetary district was thought-about a possible goal. She’s solely lately returned to work.

My buddies’ households reacted in a different way. Most of them stayed in Dubai, although some left quickly and got here again later, not due to the battle however due to the vacations they’d deliberate earlier than.

Just a few folks left for good, however total, most of my friendship circle stayed.

I additionally heard from family and friends overseas — checking in to see if we had been okay. After the primary day or so, as soon as they realized issues had been steady, it went again to regular. Apparently, most of them had been extra interested by my exams being canceled than the rest.

Trying forward, I am hoping to go to school within the UK — the College of Warwick, which sits within the middle of England, about an hour-and-a-half practice trip from London — if I meet the grades.

As for the place I will work sooner or later, I might undoubtedly consider Dubai. It is a very business-friendly place, plus it feels protected to me. That stated, it is going to rely upon job alternatives.