In the late 1980s, I was embarking on a backpacking trip to the European continent with a companion. Because my travel mate was exploring starting a postgraduate program in the Big Apple, we had arranged a fortnight visit there before heading to London.
We arrived at the student accommodation, a large ten-floor structure on the Upper West Side known as International House. Once we unpacked, we went directly to the canteen, where we grabbed food, found a table, and started talking to other diners.
Adjacent to my seat was an individual of Iraqi origin pursuing an engineering degree at a prestigious New York university. He asked me what I did for a living, and I shared that I had recently completed my studies with a degree in science and had been performing experiments involving microscopic analysis.
He mentioned that there was an research lab at the institution – adjacent to the engineering faculty, which was how he knew about it. He suggested that I should apply for a position with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, saying that I was soon departing to Europe and, more critically, I didn’t have a US visa.
A day later I ventured out, coming back to the dining hall that evening. The engineering student approached me and informed me that he had set up a meeting for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Because he had gone to the trouble, I showed up for the discussion – but immediately informed my prospective employer that I was without a work permit, so I was probably wasting her time.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a place where opportunities abound – she responded: “We can make that happen. When can you start?” I missed my plane to London.
I held that position for three years. One of the benefits was that I also received complimentary education at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to complete a graduate degree in global studies.
I never saw that student again and I don’t even know his name, but his remarkable generosity altered my destiny in numerous aspects. I lacked the courage or nerve to approach someone at an prestigious college and ask for a job. Additionally, I had always wanted to pursue education overseas, but could never have afforded it without that free tuition.
What's more, that role at the university led me to a role in Europe where I encountered my handsome spouse from France, with whom I currently share four wonderful sons and daughters. That encounter altered everything. That helpful person redirected my path in life, and I’m forever grateful.
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