In the final years of the 1980s, I set out on a backpacking trip to Europe with a companion. Because my friend was considering enrolling in graduate studies in New York, we had planned a fortnight visit there en route to London.
We arrived at the graduate housing, a big 10-storey building on the Manhattan's Upper West Side called International House. Once we unpacked, we went directly to the canteen, where we got some food, found a table, and started talking to fellow residents.
Sitting next to me was an gentleman from Iraq studying engineering at a prestigious New York university. He wanted to know what I did for a living, and I told him that I had just graduated with a science degree and had been working on studies using an electron microscope.
He pointed out that there was an research lab at the institution – right next door to the school of engineering, which was why he was aware of it. He recommended that I should apply for a position with them. I laughed it off, saying that I was soon departing to Europe and, additionally, I didn’t have a US visa.
The following day I toured the city, coming back to the dining hall that night. The Iraqi student came up to me and let me know that he had organized a discussion for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Given that he had made the arrangement, I showed up for the discussion – but straight off told my host that I was without a work permit, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a city where everything seems achievable – she said: “We'll handle it. What's your start date?” I never got on that flight to London.
I held that position for a trio of years. An advantage of the role was that I got complimentary education at Columbia, and I seized the chance to complete a master’s of international affairs.
I never saw that student again and I can't recall his name, but his remarkable generosity transformed my future in so many ways. I didn't possess the courage or self-assurance to approach someone at an prestigious college and seek a position. Moreover, I had always wanted to study abroad, but could never have afforded it without that educational benefit.
What's more, that job in New York led me to a position in Switzerland where I encountered my handsome spouse from France, with whom I am raising four wonderful sons and daughters. It was a total sliding doors moment. That helpful person changed my trajectory in life, and I’m forever grateful.
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