An American woman moves from Miami to Dubai during the war, she has no regrets
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With war raging on Iran and air defenses in the United Arab Emirates blocking waves of incoming missiles and drones, one American chose to leave Miami for Dubai. It’s a decision he doesn’t regret.
“I actually had the opposite experience of wondering if I made the right choice… I was very happy to be here,” he said in an interview.
Rikki Dimitriadis, an American hairdresser from New York whose move has attracted media attention, moved to Dubai on April 1 and spoke to Fox News Digital about her decision and how she has felt since the move.
Dimitriadis said he didn’t care about regional tensions, pointing to his experience living in New York during the September 11, 2001, attacks.
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Hairstylist Rikki Dimitriadis moved to Dubai during the Iran war. (Getty Images/Kusska/Rikki Dimitriadis)
“I trust the UAE government to keep people safe,” he said. “I think I have more hope than America right now.”
Dimitriadis described his move to Dubai as a “no-brainer,” citing safety and the lack of income tax. He said he feels free to walk alone late at night and even leave his clothes unattended in public, something he calls the Dubai theory.
“I came here last summer, and … I saw the hospitality, how clean and how safe it was,” he said.
He explained why he left Miami and why he believes that in Dubai “he will be surrounded by better people.”
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Although Dubai is also known as the home of influencers and glamour, Dimitriadis thinks there is a big difference.
“Dubai and Miami are very similar, but I would say that Dubai is a mix of New York, Vegas, and Miami,” Dimitriadis said. “The only difference is the people. I’m a hairdresser, so I love influencers. I don’t have a problem with that. But these people respect themselves, and the runners do crazy things like you would see in Miami.”
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Dimitriadis said financial factors contributed to his move. She said she was able to furnish her house a bit, travel and organize a hair salon.
The journey from Miami to Dubai took 32 hours, after his first flight was cancelled. Dimitriadis said the journey was “not easy,” but he was determined to achieve it.
Upon arrival, he described the Abu Dhabi airport as “beautiful.” When the plane was about to arrive, he said he was wondering what he would see, but he was greeted by a clear sky.
Dimitriadis did not feel alarmed when he received missile alerts on his phone.
“I got notifications on my phone while going about my day, people are living their lives, it’s busy, the mall is full, the restaurants are nice,” he said.
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Dimitriadis shared a story where he got a warning at a store and people laughed.
“When I received the notice, I was in a restaurant and people were laughing, but you don’t feel the fear here, which I think is important,” he said.
Even while living in the Middle East, Dimitriadis does not believe he came close to danger.
“I don’t look at it that way,” he said. “I see this as a new chapter of my life in a beautiful place with beautiful people, and I am very happy to start this journey. War does not enter my mind, to be honest with you.”
An Amber Alert goes out at the JW Marriott lobby in Dubai. (Judith Wilson)
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According to Dimitriadis, it would take an arrow to come “a mere kilometer” for him to even consider returning home.
Dimitriadis emphasized that he feels comfortable as an American living in Dubai, and revealed that he has received kind treatment from others.
“When I left in the summer, everyone was happy,” he recalled. “People know I’m moving, they reach out, they make sure I fit in well.”
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Dimitriadis wants Americans not to live in fear and, if they want to take a leap of faith, they should.
Since April 6, 13 people have been killed and more than 200 injured in the UAE due to Iranian strikes in the region, according to Khaleej Times and Anadolu Ajansı.
Alba Cuebas-Fantauzzi of Fox News contributed to this report.
