Courtesy of Mykhaylo Fridlyand
- Mykhaylo Fridlyand was on vacation when he heard Russia invaded Ukraine, his home country, in 2022.
- He and his girlfriend decided not to return and spent some time in Greece before moving to the US.
- Now they own a small business in Colorado and have built a life for themselves. They plan to stay.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Mykhaylo Fridlyand, 43, who left Ukraine to move to Colorado. The following has been edited for length and clarity.