I'm an American stuck in Dubai. I just want to get home in time for my kid's 1st birthday.

Sawayasu Tsuji/Getty Images

• Cody Greene arrived in Dubai for a work conference on Friday.
• Saturday, he saw evidence of Iranian attacks and heard emergency warnings.
• By Sunday, he felt safe after seeing the government's missile defense system in action.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Cody Greene, a 36-year-old from Tampa who has been in Dubai since Friday. It has been edited for length and clarity.

I arrived in Dubai Friday night local time, planning to stay for a week.