In the closing decade of the 80s, I was embarking on a low-cost journey to the European continent with a companion. Because my friend was interested in pursuing a master’s degree in New York, we had booked a fortnight visit there en route to London.
We arrived at the postgrad residence, a big ten-floor structure on the Upper West Side named International House. Once we unpacked, we headed straight to the canteen, where we grabbed food, sat down, and started talking to other diners.
Adjacent to my seat was an gentleman from Iraq enrolled in an engineering program at an Ivy League institution. He wanted to know what I did for a living, and I told him that I had recently completed my studies with a science degree and had been conducting research using an electron microscope.
He noted that there was an electron microscope unit at the institution – adjacent to the engineering department, which was why he was aware of it. He suggested that I consider applying for a job with them. I dismissed the idea, explaining that I was about to fly to Europe and, even more importantly, I did not possess a US visa.
The next day I ventured out, coming back to the dining hall that evening. The man from Iraq walked over to me and informed me that he had arranged an interview for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Because he had taken the effort, I went to the meeting – but right away told my host that I was without a work permit, so I was unable to accept the role.
In typical New York fashion – a metropolis where anything feels possible – she said: “We can make that happen. How soon can you begin?” I missed my plane to London.
I was employed there for a trio of years. One of the benefits was that I got free tuition at Columbia, and I seized the chance to finish a graduate degree in global studies.
We didn't cross paths after that and I am unaware of his name, but his selfless gesture transformed my future in numerous aspects. I lacked the bravery or nerve to reach out at an prestigious college and seek a position. Additionally, I had always wanted to study abroad, but lacked the financial means without that free tuition.
What's more, that job in New York led me to a position in Switzerland where I met my handsome spouse from France, with whom I currently share four amazing children. That encounter altered everything. That benevolent individual redirected my path in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
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