In the late 1980s, I set out on a budget travel adventure to the European continent with a companion. Since my companion was interested in starting a postgraduate program in the Big Apple, we had arranged a fortnight visit there before heading to London.
We arrived at the graduate housing, a large 10-storey building on the UWS named International House. After dropping our bags, we headed straight to the cafeteria, where we picked up meals, sat down, and engaged in conversation with fellow residents.
Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at Columbia University. 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 working on studies involving microscopic analysis.
He noted that there was an research lab at the university – close to the engineering department, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He proposed that I ought to seek a position with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, explaining that I was soon departing to Europe and, additionally, I lacked a US visa.
The following day I went out exploring, coming back to the dining hall that night. The Iraqi student walked over to me and told me that he had arranged an interview for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Since he had taken the effort, I attended the interview – but immediately told my prospective employer that I was without a work permit, so I was unable to accept the role.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a metropolis where opportunities abound – she declared: “We'll handle it. What's your start date?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I worked there for 36 months. A perk of the job was that I also received free tuition at Columbia, and I seized the chance to finish a master’s of international affairs.
We didn't cross paths after that and I can't recall his identity, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in multiple respects. I didn't possess the confidence or nerve to contact anyone at an prestigious college and ask for a job. Additionally, I had always wanted to pursue education overseas, but lacked the financial means without that free tuition.
Perhaps most importantly, that job in New York paved the way for a position in Switzerland where I encountered my wonderful partner, with whom I am raising four wonderful sons and daughters. It was a total sliding doors moment. That benevolent individual redirected my path in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
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