In the closing decade of the 80s, I set out on a low-cost journey to Europe with a companion. Because my friend was exploring enrolling in graduate studies in NYC, we had planned a fortnight visit there en route to London.
We got to the student accommodation, a sizeable multi-story edifice on the Upper West Side named International House. After dropping our bags, we made our way to the cafeteria, where we grabbed food, found a table, and began chatting with people eating there.
Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at a prestigious New York university. He wanted to know what I did for a living, and I shared that I had recently completed my studies with a science degree and had been performing experiments with electron microscopy.
He mentioned that there was an microscopy facility at the institution – adjacent to the school of engineering, which was why he was aware of it. He proposed that I should apply for a job with them. I dismissed the idea, saying that I was heading off to Europe and, additionally, I did not possess a US visa.
The following day I went out exploring, coming back to the dining hall that evening. The Iraqi student came up to me and informed me that he had arranged an interview for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Given that he had gone to the trouble, I showed up for the discussion – but immediately told my host that I was without a work permit, so I was unable to accept the role.
As is common in NYC – a metropolis where everything seems achievable – she responded: “We'll handle it. How soon can you begin?” I missed my plane to London.
I worked there for a trio of years. One of the benefits was that I was granted free tuition at Columbia, and I took advantage to complete a master’s of international affairs.
I lost touch with him and I can't recall his full name, but his remarkable generosity transformed my future in numerous aspects. I would never have had the bravery or self-belief to contact anyone at an prestigious college and seek a position. Additionally, I had consistently hoped to pursue education overseas, but could never have afforded it without that tuition waiver.
Perhaps most importantly, that role at the university resulted in a job in Zurich where I encountered my handsome spouse from France, with whom I currently share four wonderful sons and daughters. That encounter altered everything. That benevolent individual changed my trajectory in life, and I’m forever grateful.
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