In the closing decade of the 80s, I set out on a backpacking trip to Europe with a companion. Because my travel mate was considering enrolling in graduate studies in New York, we had planned a fortnight visit there before heading to London.
We reached the postgrad residence, a big ten-floor structure on the Manhattan's Upper West Side named International House. Once we unpacked, we made our way to the cafeteria, where we picked up meals, found a table, and started talking to other diners.
Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man studying engineering at an Ivy League institution. He asked me what I did for a living, and I shared that I had just graduated with a degree in science and had been working on studies with electron microscopy.
He noted that there was an electron microscope unit at the university – adjacent to the engineering faculty, which was how he knew about it. He proposed that I ought to seek a job with them. I dismissed the idea, saying that I was about to fly to Europe and, additionally, I lacked a US visa.
The following day I went out exploring, going back to the cafeteria that night. The Iraqi student came up to me and informed me that he had arranged an interview for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Given that he had made the arrangement, I went to the meeting – but immediately informed my prospective employer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was unable to accept the role.
In typical New York fashion – a place where everything seems achievable – she declared: “We'll handle it. What's your start date?” I missed my plane to London.
I worked there for a trio of years. One of the benefits was that I also received complimentary education at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to earn a graduate degree in global studies.
I lost touch with him and I am unaware of his identity, but his incredible act of kindness changed my life in multiple respects. I would never have had the bravery or self-assurance to contact anyone at an elite institution and seek a position. Moreover, I had always wanted to study abroad, but lacked the financial means without that free tuition.
Perhaps most importantly, that job in New York resulted in a position in Switzerland where I got to know my handsome spouse from France, with whom I currently share four amazing children. That encounter altered everything. That kind stranger changed my trajectory in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
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