A Laois woman who is living in Dubai has opened up about what day to day life in like as the war in the Middle East continues.
Samanta Hauberte, from Portlaoise, is a bikini bodybuilder who swapped the gym for real estate in January and headed to Dubai.
On February 28, Israel and the United States launched coordinated joint attacks on various sites in Iran, which started a major conflict.
In response, Iran fired a series of missiles across the Middle East and some buildings in Dubai have been struck.
Up to that point, Samanta was thoroughly enjoying life in the United Arab Emirates.
She said: “I came to Dubai to give real estate a go, as I wanted to try something new and look for better opportunities in life.
“Real estate has been very interesting so far. It is definitely challenging, but it has also been a great experience.
“At the moment I am working in real estate, while also continuing my online coaching in the fitness industry.
“Before everything happened, life in Dubai was very busy and active. The city is always moving and there are always opportunities.
“I was working in real estate during the day while also continuing my online coaching, so my routine was very focused on work and fitness.”
Looking back now, Samanta remembers the exact moment that daily life changed.
She said: “The first time I realised the situation might affect us was Saturday, February 28.
“I was doing online check-ins for my coaching clients when suddenly I heard a lot of very loud bangs. It honestly felt like my soul left my body because I had no idea what was going on.
“I stepped out onto my balcony — the building I live in is U-shaped — and I could see a lot of other people stepping out onto their balconies as well, so I knew I wasn’t the only one hearing it.
“After that, more missiles and drones were going off throughout the night, which could actually be seen from where I’m staying in Studio City.”
And what have the days and weeks been like since it all kicked off?
Samanta said: “Since then, most days a warning notification comes up on my iPhone telling people to stay away from windows, stay inside, and go to the nearest safe building if necessary. It definitely makes people feel uneasy.
“Even though the situation is being looked after, it’s still scary to think about. I never thought I would find myself in a situation like this where missiles and drones are being intercepted in the sky.
“There are also jets constantly flying overhead, which can be heard every day as well.
“When the first incident happened and everyone stepped outside to see what was going on, a lot of people were confused and uneasy.
“The situation has affected daily life in many ways. Schools have been closed, and my workplace has also been closed, so I have had to work remotely.
“Even with that, it has been difficult to work properly because many people are understandably distressed and not really in the mood for buying or selling property at the moment.
“The airport was closed temporarily, and many flights were rescheduled or changed. Normally traffic in Dubai is very hectic, but recently it has been the complete opposite with very little traffic on the roads.
“From where I am in Dubai, some areas have been targeted and missile interceptions have happened, which hasn’t been nice to witness.
“Even if it is not directly where I am, it still feels very close when you can see and hear what is happening in the sky.”
While many Irish people have returned home since the conflict began, Samanta says that she and many others like her have decided to stay.
She said: “I have been in touch with other Irish people living here, and a lot of us have mixed thoughts.
“We do love it here and many of us came here for opportunities that are difficult to find at home.
“My family and friends back home are very worried and are asking me to come back, but for now I am staying here for the meantime.
“The reality is that many young people left Ireland for a reason.
“There is a housing crisis and limited opportunities, and personally I wouldn’t want to be living with my parents into my thirties. That is one of the reasons I decided to come here.”
Buildings in Dubai were damaged again by missiles over the weekend but Samanta is hoping that eventually, everything will settle down.
She said: “Of course none of us know what the future will bring, but everyone is hoping things settle and life can return to normal.
“The message I would send back home is that everyone here is looking out for each other and things have calmed down for now.
“Of course people are still cautious, but we are hoping everything will settle and we can return to our normal routines.”
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