During the closing decade of the 80s, I set out on a backpacking trip to Europe with a friend. Because my travel mate was exploring enrolling in graduate studies in New York, we had booked a fortnight visit there en route to London.
We arrived at the student accommodation, a sizeable ten-floor structure on the Upper West Side known as International House. Setting down our luggage, we headed straight to the cafeteria, where we grabbed food, found a table, and began chatting with other diners.
Beside me was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at a prestigious New York university. He wanted to know what I did, and I explained that I had newly finished with a scientific background and had been conducting research using an electron microscope.
He mentioned that there was an microscopy facility at the university – right next door to the school of engineering, which was why he was aware of it. He proposed that I consider applying for a job with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, explaining that I was soon departing to Europe and, additionally, I did not possess a US visa.
The next day I toured the city, returning to the canteen that night. The engineering student approached me and let me know that he had arranged an interview for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Since he had made the arrangement, I went to the meeting – but straight off told my host that I didn’t have a visa, so I was probably wasting her time.
In typical New York fashion – a city where anything feels possible – she declared: “We'll handle it. What's your start date?” I never got on that flight to London.
I worked there for 36 months. One of the benefits was that I got complimentary education at Columbia, and I took advantage to earn a postgrad program in international relations.
I never saw that student again and I can't recall his identity, but his remarkable generosity altered my destiny in multiple respects. I didn't possess the confidence or self-belief to approach someone at an prestigious college and request employment. Additionally, I had consistently hoped to pursue education overseas, but lacked the financial means without that free tuition.
What's more, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a position in Switzerland where I met my beautiful French husband, with whom I currently share a family of four kids. This was a pivotal life event. That benevolent individual changed my trajectory in life, and I’m always appreciative.
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