During the late 1980s, I was beginning a budget travel adventure to the European continent with a companion. Since my companion was exploring enrolling in graduate studies in New York, we had arranged a 14-day stopover there on the way to London.
We got to the graduate housing, a big ten-floor structure on the Manhattan's Upper West Side named International House. Setting down our luggage, we made our way to the dining hall, where we got some food, sat down, and engaged in conversation with other diners.
Beside me was an individual of Iraqi origin studying engineering at an Ivy League institution. He inquired what I my profession was, 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 institution – close to the school of engineering, which was how he knew about it. He proposed that I ought to seek a role with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, saying that I was heading off to Europe and, even more importantly, I didn’t have a US visa.
A day later I ventured out, returning to the canteen that evening. The man from Iraq walked over to me and informed me that he had arranged an interview for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Because he had made the arrangement, I showed up for the discussion – but immediately informed my prospective employer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was unable to accept the role.
In typical New York fashion – a place where opportunities abound – she said: “We'll handle it. What's your start date?” I missed my plane to London.
I held that position for 36 months. A perk of the job was that I also received no-cost classes at Columbia, and I seized the chance to finish a master’s of international affairs.
We didn't cross paths after that and I am unaware of his identity, but his remarkable generosity transformed my future in multiple respects. I lacked the confidence or self-belief to reach out at an elite institution and request employment. And, I had long dreamed to study abroad, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that educational benefit.
Critically, that gig at Columbia resulted in a position in Switzerland where I got to know my handsome spouse from France, with whom I currently share four amazing children. It was a total sliding doors moment. That kind stranger changed my trajectory in life, and I’m always appreciative.
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