In the closing decade of the 80s, I was beginning a backpacking trip to the European continent with a travel partner. Since my companion was considering enrolling in graduate studies in NYC, we had planned a fortnight visit there before heading to London.
We reached the postgrad residence, a sizeable multi-story edifice on the UWS called International House. Setting down our luggage, we went directly to the dining hall, where we picked up meals, took a seat, and began chatting with other diners.
Adjacent to my seat was an individual of Iraqi origin enrolled in an engineering program at a prestigious New York university. He inquired what I did for a living, and I shared that I had recently completed my studies with a scientific background and had been working on studies with electron microscopy.
He pointed out that there was an research lab at Columbia University – adjacent to the engineering faculty, which was why he was aware of it. He proposed that I should apply for a position with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, saying that I was about to fly to Europe and, additionally, I didn’t have a US visa.
The following day I toured the city, returning to the canteen that night. The man from Iraq approached me and told me that he had set up a meeting for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Since he had made the arrangement, I went to the meeting – but right away explained to my interviewer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a metropolis where everything seems achievable – she said: “We'll handle it. How soon can you begin?” I never got on that flight to London.
I worked there for three years. A perk of the job was that I also received no-cost classes at Columbia, and I took advantage to earn a graduate degree in global studies.
We didn't cross paths after that and I can't recall his name, but his remarkable generosity transformed my future in multiple respects. I didn't possess the courage or nerve to approach someone at an prestigious college and ask for a job. Additionally, I had long dreamed to take classes in another country, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that free tuition.
Critically, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a job in Zurich where I encountered my handsome spouse from France, with whom I am raising a family of four kids. This was a pivotal life event. That helpful person redirected my path in life, and I’m forever grateful.
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