During the late 1980s, I was beginning a backpacking trip to the European continent with a friend. Because my companion was considering pursuing a master’s degree in NYC, we had arranged a 14-day stopover there en route to London.
We reached the student accommodation, a large ten-floor structure on the UWS named International House. After dropping our bags, we made our way to the cafeteria, where we grabbed food, found a table, and started talking to other diners.
Sitting next to me was an gentleman from Iraq pursuing an engineering degree at a prestigious New York university. He asked me what I did for a living, and I explained that I had just graduated with a degree in science and had been conducting research using an electron microscope.
He mentioned that there was an research lab at the university – close to the engineering department, which was the reason he was familiar with 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, more critically, I didn’t have a US visa.
A day later I ventured out, returning to the canteen that night. The man from Iraq walked over to me and informed me that he had organized a discussion for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Because he had taken the effort, I went to the meeting – but straight off told my interviewer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was unable to accept the role.
In typical New York fashion – a place where anything feels possible – she declared: “We can make that happen. When can you start?” I missed my plane to London.
I worked there for a trio of years. A perk of the job was that I also received no-cost classes at Columbia, and I took advantage to finish a master’s of international affairs.
We didn't cross paths after that and I am unaware of his name, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in multiple respects. I didn't possess the courage or self-assurance to reach out at an elite institution and ask for a job. Additionally, I had consistently hoped to study abroad, but lacked the financial means without that educational benefit.
What's more, that job in New York paved the way for a job in Zurich where I met my wonderful partner, with whom I currently share four amazing children. That encounter altered everything. That helpful person redirected my path in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
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