In the final years of the 1980s, I was embarking on a low-cost journey to Europe with a companion. Since my companion was exploring enrolling in graduate studies in New York, we had planned a two-week stay there before heading to London.
We arrived at the graduate housing, a sizeable multi-story edifice on the Manhattan's Upper West Side known as International House. After dropping our bags, we made our way to the dining hall, where we picked up meals, found a table, and began chatting with other diners.
Sitting next to me was an gentleman from Iraq pursuing an engineering degree at an Ivy League institution. He wanted to know what I did, and I shared that I had recently completed my studies with a scientific background and had been performing experiments involving microscopic analysis.
He mentioned that there was an microscopy facility at the university – adjacent to the school of engineering, which was how he knew about it. He recommended that I consider applying for a job with them. I laughed it off, telling him that I was about to fly to Europe and, even more importantly, I didn’t have a US visa.
The next day I ventured out, returning to the canteen that after dark. The engineering student walked over to me and let me know that he had set up a meeting for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Since he had taken the effort, I attended the interview – but right away 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 everything seems achievable – she said: “We can make that happen. What's your start date?” I missed my plane to London.
I held that position for a trio of years. One of the benefits was that I got no-cost classes at Columbia, and I seized the chance to finish a graduate degree in global studies.
We didn't cross paths after that and I can't recall his identity, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in so many ways. I would never have had the confidence or nerve to contact anyone at an prestigious college and ask for a job. Moreover, I had always wanted to take classes in another country, but could never have afforded it without that educational benefit.
Critically, that job in New York paved the way for a position in Switzerland where I encountered my wonderful partner, with whom I am raising four amazing children. That encounter altered everything. That benevolent individual redirected my path in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
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