But after receiving her New Zealand citizenship the 21-year-old is now firmly focused on the future.
The former Iraqi citizen arrived in New Zealand with her mother in 2005 and was reunited with her father in Wellington after a seven- year absence.
"It was good to be together again," she said.
The process involved in getting out of Iraq was an arduous one, with family members requiring certificates of identity from the New Zealand Government as they had no access to passports.
"It was a really hard time but worth the wait."
Able to apply for her first passport, Miss Al Niaami said it would still be some time before she visited Iraq again.
She said she loved her adopted city, after moving to Dunedin last year so she could study health sciences and eventually become a dentist.
"I find the weather better than Wellington."
Thirteen other people joined Miss Al Niaami in receiving their citizenship certificates from Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin at the Skeggs Gallery, Municipal Chambers, on Wednesday.
Mr Chin welcomed them as citizens of New Zealand and Dunedin, and reminded them to "share their customs".
The new citizens are: Miss Nur Adil Al Niaami (Iraq), Miss Charlene Marie Borges (India), Miss Hye Jung Kwon (Korea), Ms Anuja Upulrenu Liyanage (Sri Lanka), Mr Scott Robert Neil Meikle (United Kingdom), Miss Yulia Sergeevna Porodina (Russia), Mrs Anna Gennadievna Romanova-Grey (Russia), Mr Pranav Singh (India), Mr Sao Sorn (Cambodia), Mr Stewart Geoffrey Stevens (United Kingdom), Ms Lee Ping Tan (Malaysia), Miss Weiyu Wen (China), Mr Qingshui Weng (China), Mrs Renata Kinga Wiklanska-Brumby (Poland).
