In the late 1980s, I was beginning a low-cost journey to the European continent with a companion. Since my companion was exploring pursuing a master’s degree in the Big Apple, we had planned a two-week stay there en route to London.
We reached the student accommodation, a big ten-floor structure on the Upper West Side known as International House. Once we unpacked, we made our way to the dining hall, where we grabbed food, took a seat, and began chatting with fellow residents.
Sitting next to me was an gentleman from Iraq studying engineering at an Ivy League institution. He asked me what I did for a living, and I explained that I had recently completed my studies with a science degree and had been conducting research with electron microscopy.
He pointed out that there was an research lab at the university – close to the engineering department, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He recommended that I ought to seek a job with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, explaining that I was heading off to Europe and, more critically, I lacked a US visa.
A day later I toured the city, going back to the cafeteria that after dark. The Iraqi student approached me and let me know that he had arranged an interview for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Because he had made the arrangement, I showed up for the discussion – but right away told my host that I was without a work permit, so I was probably wasting her time.
As is common in NYC – a place where anything feels possible – she declared: “We can make that happen. How soon can you begin?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I held that position for 36 months. An advantage of the role was that I was granted no-cost classes at Columbia, and I seized the chance to complete a graduate degree in global studies.
We didn't cross paths after that and I don’t even know his full name, but his selfless gesture transformed my future in so many ways. I lacked the confidence or self-assurance to contact anyone at an prestigious college and seek a position. Additionally, I had long dreamed to study abroad, but lacked the financial means without that free tuition.
What's more, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a role in Europe where I got to know my handsome spouse from France, with whom I am raising a family of four kids. It was a total sliding doors moment. That benevolent individual changed my trajectory in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
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