In the late 1980s, I was embarking on a backpacking trip to Europe with a travel partner. Because my friend was considering starting a postgraduate program in the Big Apple, we had planned a two-week stay there en route to London.
We arrived at the student accommodation, a big 10-storey building on the UWS called International House. Setting down our luggage, we went directly to the canteen, where we got some food, took a seat, and engaged in conversation with fellow residents.
Adjacent to my seat was an individual of Iraqi origin pursuing an engineering degree at a prestigious New York university. He wanted to know what I did for a living, and I explained that I had newly finished with a scientific background and had been working on studies with electron microscopy.
He mentioned that there was an electron microscope unit at the university – right next door to the engineering department, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He suggested that I consider applying for a job with them. I laughed it off, saying that I was heading off to Europe and, even more importantly, I did not possess a US visa.
The next day I toured the city, coming back to the dining hall that after dark. The Iraqi student walked over to me and told me that he had arranged an interview for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Because he had gone to the trouble, I showed up for the discussion – but straight off told my prospective employer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was unable to accept the role.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a metropolis where everything seems achievable – she said: “We can make that happen. How soon can you begin?” I never got on that flight to London.
I was employed there for 36 months. One of the benefits was that I got complimentary education at Columbia, and I took advantage to earn a graduate degree in global studies.
I lost touch with him and I can't recall his identity, but his incredible act of kindness transformed my future in multiple respects. I would never have had the confidence or self-belief to approach someone at an prestigious college and seek a position. Moreover, I had always wanted to take classes in another country, but lacked the financial means without that educational benefit.
Perhaps most importantly, that role at the university led me to a job in Zurich where I got to know my beautiful French husband, with whom I am raising four amazing children. That encounter altered everything. That benevolent individual changed my trajectory in life, and I’m always appreciative.
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