During the final years of the 1980s, I was beginning a low-cost journey to the European continent with a friend. Since my travel mate was interested in enrolling in graduate studies in New York, we had booked a fortnight visit there en route to London.
We got to the student accommodation, a big ten-floor structure on the Manhattan's Upper West Side known as International House. Once we unpacked, we made our way to the cafeteria, where we picked up meals, took a seat, and started talking to people eating there.
Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man studying engineering at a prestigious New York university. He asked me what I did for a living, and I told him that I had recently completed my studies with a degree in science and had been performing experiments involving microscopic analysis.
He mentioned that there was an electron microscope unit at Columbia University – adjacent to the engineering faculty, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He proposed that I ought to seek a role with them. I laughed it off, telling him that I was soon departing to Europe and, even more importantly, I did not possess a US visa.
The next day I ventured out, going back to the cafeteria that after dark. The Iraqi student approached me and told me that he had organized a discussion for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Given that he had gone to the trouble, I showed up for the discussion – but immediately explained to my host that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was unable to accept the role.
As is common in NYC – a city where anything feels possible – she declared: “We'll handle it. When can you start?” I missed my plane to London.
I was employed there for a trio of years. A perk of the job was that I was granted free tuition at Columbia, and I took advantage to finish a graduate degree in global studies.
I lost touch with him and I am unaware of his name, but his incredible act of kindness changed my life in numerous aspects. I didn't possess the courage or nerve to contact anyone at an prestigious college and request employment. And, I had consistently hoped to pursue education overseas, but could never have afforded it without that tuition waiver.
Perhaps most importantly, that gig at Columbia led me to a position in Switzerland where I encountered my wonderful partner, with whom I now have four amazing children. This was a pivotal life event. That benevolent individual redirected my path in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
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