KILLEEN, Texas — For Tetyana Quiles, the transition from a peaceful Texas classroom to the sound of missiles overhead in Ukraine has become a harrowing reality. The doctoral student has made the dangerous journey back to her homeland, driven by a bond stronger than any weapon of war.

"When I'm coming back from the war zones, the level of importance shifts," Quiles explains. "Obviously, just because I don't have a specific color pen, this is not a problem. Or my printer doesn't work, this is not a problem. Or we have rain outside—this is actually 'yay.'"

What many Americans take for granted—a trip to the grocery store without fear of explosions, the ability to sleep without the threat of missiles—has become a precious gift for Quiles after experiencing life in a war zone.

Quiles arrived

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