During the final years of the 1980s, I was beginning a low-cost journey to Europe with a friend. Because my companion was exploring enrolling in graduate studies in the Big Apple, we had booked a two-week stay there on the way to London.
We arrived at the student accommodation, a large ten-floor structure on the Manhattan's Upper West Side called International House. Once we unpacked, we made our way to the cafeteria, where we grabbed food, took a seat, and began chatting with fellow residents.
Beside me was an gentleman from Iraq pursuing an engineering degree at an Ivy League institution. He inquired what I did for a living, and I told him that I had newly finished with a scientific background and had been working on studies involving microscopic analysis.
He noted that there was an research lab at the university – close to the engineering faculty, which was how he knew about it. He recommended that I consider applying for a position with them. I dismissed the idea, explaining that I was about to fly to Europe and, additionally, I did not possess a US visa.
The next day I toured the city, going back to the cafeteria that after dark. The engineering student approached me and told me that he had organized a discussion for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Because he had gone to the trouble, I showed up for the discussion – but immediately told my interviewer that I was without a work permit, so I was unable to accept the role.
In typical New York fashion – a place where anything feels possible – she responded: “We'll handle it. How soon can you begin?” I never got on that flight to London.
I worked there for a trio of years. A perk of the job was that I got complimentary education at Columbia, and I took advantage to complete a graduate degree in global studies.
I never saw that student again and I can't recall his full name, but his incredible act of kindness transformed my future in numerous aspects. I didn't possess the courage or self-assurance to contact anyone at an elite institution and seek a position. Additionally, I had always wanted to study abroad, but lacked the financial means without that free tuition.
What's more, that gig at Columbia led me to a position in Switzerland where I encountered my handsome spouse from France, with whom I currently share four amazing children. This was a pivotal life event. That kind stranger changed my trajectory in life, and I’m always appreciative.
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