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AIBU?

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Original poster

Meant to be moving to Dubai in 4 weeks

967 replies

Medesres · 01/03/2026 15:42

We've been planning a move to Dubai for a while now. Dh's work has an office out there and it seemed like great opportunity to live abroad and experience sth different. I've got a couple of friends out there already too who love the lifestyle.

Watching the news for the past 24 hours and I'm really starting to question things. I had no idea how close to Iran it was and who knows what might happen next. Part of me is hoping it will all be resolved soon but hard to believe.

My friend who already lives there has spent the night sleeping in one room with her dh and kids scared of all the missile noises.

OP posts:
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mullers1977 · 01/03/2026 16:04

Medesres · 01/03/2026 16:01

I'd looked up DH new office on Google maps and places we were thinking of living. Looked at nearby things on Google and landmarks, just hadn't zoomed out that far to see everything else. I knew Iran was nearby but I just wasnt thinking about that as no idea there would be war. People will laugh but it just wasn't my first thought, I was more concerned about neighbourhoods/ supermarkets etc

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I really hope this makes people realise these aren't places people who are used to western democracy should live or in any way support. We've been offered to live there multiple times abc you couldn't pay me to live there. I think paying taxes in grey Britain looks good to some people there now.

Tuliptana · 01/03/2026 16:04

This has got to be a wind up surely!
You researched supermarkets not a map....

Chumpington · 01/03/2026 16:03

YABU for not knowing how close it is to Iran. Did you think it was Little Britain in the desert?

domenica1 · 01/03/2026 16:02

Oh OP good grief. How can you not have known where it was. Didn’t you even visit before you agreed to move? Many airlines fly right over Iran. Still you are where you are. DH needs to speak to bosses immediately with a view to postponing the move until the situation stabilises out there. You’d be mad to go now. I have a number of friends living in the ME and they are all pretty freaked out by the situation.

mullers1977 · 01/03/2026 16:02

NotMeAtAll · 01/03/2026 15:59

You can travel overland from Saudi Arabia if the airport still isn't open by then.

Foreign nationals can only fly in and out, they not cross borders in any other way .

Original poster
Medesres · 01/03/2026 16:01

traveltraveltravel78 · 01/03/2026 15:58

You seriously never thought to check it out in a map?

I'd looked up DH new office on Google maps and places we were thinking of living. Looked at nearby things on Google and landmarks, just hadn't zoomed out that far to see everything else. I knew Iran was nearby but I just wasnt thinking about that as no idea there would be war. People will laugh but it just wasn't my first thought, I was more concerned about neighbourhoods/ supermarkets etc

OP posts:
LadyMacbethWasFierce · 01/03/2026 16:01

The only 2 aspects of your post that are unreasonable are (i) the fact that you are only starting to question things (rather than ruling it out entirely) and (ii) the fact you did not realise how close to Iran it was. I totally understand that geography is not everyone’s strength, but surely if you are considering relocating to a different country you would educate yourself about where in the world it is?

I am not saying this to be unkind. But I do think it’s so important that people (and I am really focussing on women here) are not passive observers in their own lives. Moving abroad is a big thing. Even more so if you have children who are dependent upon you for their safety and security. It’s so vital to take ownership of your decisions and that can only happen through being fully informed.

In answer to your primary question - in my view the only reasonable thing to do is to cancel the move.

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 01/03/2026 16:00

NotMeAtAll · 01/03/2026 15:59

You can travel overland from Saudi Arabia if the airport still isn't open by then.

Saudi should be safe then. They won’t bomb there will they?

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 01/03/2026 15:59

Medesres · 01/03/2026 15:57

The lifestyle appealed to us and friends there kept telling us it's great and better than wet, grey UK.

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I think you didn’t do that much research into it. Apart from what you wanted to hear.

NotMeAtAll · 01/03/2026 15:59

You can travel overland from Saudi Arabia if the airport still isn't open by then.

ElizabethsTailor · 01/03/2026 15:59

Medesres · 01/03/2026 15:53

I knew it was in middle east Gulf and obviously Iran is in that area too but I hadn't studied the map in great detail until today.

The problem is Dubai and parts of the middle east have been really glamorised now so everyone wants to move there. Then something like this happens and you get a reality check

Dh going to speak to his work tomorrow. I'm sure they wouldn't send him if it escalates

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The problem is Dubai and parts of the middle east have been really glamorised now so everyone wants to move there.

It’s really NOT the case that “everyone wants to move there”.

Did you not wonder why so many people really dislike it? Why there is a backlash against holidays there? It’s precisely because it is “glamorised” i.e. made out to be something it is not.

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 01/03/2026 15:59

Medesres · 01/03/2026 15:57

The lifestyle appealed to us and friends there kept telling us it's great and better than wet, grey UK.

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Well there are 2 snooker players living there Judd Trump and Ronnie O’Sullivan. Wonder what they’ll do now?

PhotosOfTheDog · 01/03/2026 15:58

smooththecat · 01/03/2026 15:49

I had no idea how close to Iran it was

Where did you think it was?

😅

traveltraveltravel78 · 01/03/2026 15:58

You seriously never thought to check it out in a map?

Original poster
Medesres · 01/03/2026 15:57

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 01/03/2026 15:55

The trouble is things have escalated pdq but of course everyone’s scared and no one knows what’s happening yet. For me I have a friend who lived in Dubai and at the end she hated it. But I also know people who love the luxe lifestyle there. At the end of the day it’s your life.

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The lifestyle appealed to us and friends there kept telling us it's great and better than wet, grey UK.

OP posts:
Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 01/03/2026 15:57

TheignT · 01/03/2026 15:54

No not everyone wants to go there.

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I’ve been offered several job opps working in the Middle East and I turned them all down.

The only 3 people I know who lived and worked there were 2 single guys and a married with kids woman. They all did it for the money.

PinkyFlamingo · 01/03/2026 15:57

Medesres · 01/03/2026 15:53

I knew it was in middle east Gulf and obviously Iran is in that area too but I hadn't studied the map in great detail until today.

The problem is Dubai and parts of the middle east have been really glamorised now so everyone wants to move there. Then something like this happens and you get a reality check

Dh going to speak to his work tomorrow. I'm sure they wouldn't send him if it escalates

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Er no not everyone wants to move there at all.

nomas · 01/03/2026 15:56

TheignT · 01/03/2026 15:54

No not everyone wants to go there.

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She’s talking about her friends, not you.

She’s stressed enough without posters adding to it.

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 01/03/2026 15:55

Medesres · 01/03/2026 15:53

I knew it was in middle east Gulf and obviously Iran is in that area too but I hadn't studied the map in great detail until today.

The problem is Dubai and parts of the middle east have been really glamorised now so everyone wants to move there. Then something like this happens and you get a reality check

Dh going to speak to his work tomorrow. I'm sure they wouldn't send him if it escalates

Show quote history

The trouble is things have escalated pdq but of course everyone’s scared and no one knows what’s happening yet. For me I have a friend who lived in Dubai and at the end she hated it. But I also know people who love the luxe lifestyle there. At the end of the day it’s your life.

WeirdyBeardyMarrowBabyLady · 01/03/2026 15:55

Having read your last update I’m not even sure this can be genuine.

Ponoka7 · 01/03/2026 15:54

This reminds me of being in Egypt and other holiday makers being disgusted when they found out that they were in Africa.

The lifestyle is great, as was being near the top in every society built and relying on slavery. Best of luck.

PinkyFlamingo · 01/03/2026 15:54

You didn't even look it up on a map?

TheignT · 01/03/2026 15:54

Medesres · 01/03/2026 15:53

I knew it was in middle east Gulf and obviously Iran is in that area too but I hadn't studied the map in great detail until today.

The problem is Dubai and parts of the middle east have been really glamorised now so everyone wants to move there. Then something like this happens and you get a reality check

Dh going to speak to his work tomorrow. I'm sure they wouldn't send him if it escalates

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No not everyone wants to go there.

nomas · 01/03/2026 15:54

toomuchfaff · 01/03/2026 15:53

Give it a couple of weeks

Its not going to be "safe to travel" within a couple of weeks!

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No one said it was.

WeirdyBeardyMarrowBabyLady · 01/03/2026 15:54

YABU to be four weeks for moving to a country you know almost nothing about. How didn’t you know where it was?!