During the final years of the 1980s, I was embarking on a backpacking trip to Europe with a companion. Because my friend was exploring starting a postgraduate program in the Big Apple, we had planned a fortnight visit there en route to London.
We arrived at the postgrad residence, a large 10-storey building on the Manhattan's Upper West Side called International House. Once we unpacked, we went directly to the dining hall, where we picked up meals, sat down, and began chatting with people eating there.
Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at a prestigious New York university. He asked me what I did for a living, and I explained that I had recently completed my studies with a scientific background and had been performing experiments with electron microscopy.
He mentioned that there was an electron microscope unit at Columbia University – adjacent to the engineering department, which was why he was aware of it. He suggested that I should apply for a position with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, saying that I was about to fly to Europe and, even more importantly, I did not possess a US visa.
The following day I went out exploring, returning to the canteen that after dark. The engineering student approached me and let me know that he had organized a discussion for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Since he had made the arrangement, I attended the interview – but immediately told my interviewer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
As is common in NYC – a city where opportunities abound – she said: “We can make that happen. How soon can you begin?” I never got on that flight to London.
I was employed there for a trio of years. A perk of the job was that I was granted free tuition at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to earn a master’s of international affairs.
We didn't cross paths after that and I can't recall his name, but his incredible act of kindness altered my destiny in numerous aspects. I didn't possess the bravery or nerve to approach someone at an prestigious college and request employment. And, I had always wanted to study abroad, but lacked the financial means without that tuition waiver.
What's more, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a job in Zurich where I got to know my handsome spouse from France, with whom I currently share four wonderful sons and daughters. This was a pivotal life event. That benevolent individual changed my trajectory in life, and I’m forever grateful.
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