In the late 1980s, I set out on a backpacking trip to Europe with a companion. Because my companion was interested in enrolling in graduate studies in NYC, we had booked a fortnight visit there before heading to London.
We arrived at the student accommodation, a big multi-story edifice on the UWS called International House. Setting down our luggage, we headed straight to the cafeteria, where we picked up meals, sat down, and engaged in conversation with other diners.
Sitting next to me was an gentleman from Iraq studying engineering at a prestigious New York university. He asked me what I my profession was, and I told him that I had just graduated with a scientific background and had been working on studies involving microscopic analysis.
He mentioned that there was an microscopy facility at the university – right next door to the engineering faculty, which was why he was aware of it. He recommended that I should apply for a role with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, telling him that I was heading off to Europe and, additionally, I did not possess a US visa.
The following day I ventured out, coming back to the dining hall that night. The man from Iraq came up to me and let me know that he had organized a discussion for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Because he had taken the effort, I went to the meeting – but right away told my interviewer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a metropolis where anything feels possible – she declared: “We'll handle it. When can you start?” I never got on that flight to London.
I was employed there for a trio of years. A perk of the job was that I also received no-cost classes at Columbia, and I seized the chance to earn a postgrad program in international relations.
I lost touch with him and I can't recall his full name, but his selfless gesture transformed my future in so many ways. I didn't possess the bravery or self-belief to reach out at an elite institution and seek a position. And, I had consistently hoped to pursue education overseas, but lacked the financial means without that educational benefit.
Perhaps most importantly, that job in New York paved the way for a position in Switzerland where I met my handsome spouse from France, with whom I now have four amazing children. This was a pivotal life event. That kind stranger redirected my path in life, and I’m forever grateful.
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