During the late 1980s, I was embarking on a low-cost journey to the European continent with a friend. Because my travel mate was exploring enrolling in graduate studies in NYC, we had booked a two-week stay there en route to London.
We arrived at the student accommodation, a large 10-storey building on the Manhattan's Upper West Side named International House. Setting down our luggage, we headed straight to the dining hall, where we grabbed food, sat down, and started talking to fellow residents.
Adjacent to my seat was an individual of Iraqi origin pursuing an engineering degree at a prestigious New York university. He wanted to know what I did, and I shared that I had newly finished with a degree in science and had been working on studies involving microscopic analysis.
He pointed out that there was an research lab at the institution – right next door to the engineering faculty, which was how he knew about it. He recommended that I ought to seek a role with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, explaining that I was soon departing to Europe and, even more importantly, I didn’t have a US visa.
The following day I went out exploring, coming back to the dining hall that night. The Iraqi student came up to me and informed me that he had organized a discussion for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Since he had made the arrangement, I showed up for the discussion – but immediately explained to my prospective employer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was probably wasting her time.
As is common in NYC – a place where anything feels possible – she said: “We'll handle it. How soon can you begin?” I never got on that flight to London.
I worked there for three years. One of the benefits was that I was granted no-cost classes at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to earn a master’s of international affairs.
We didn't cross paths after that and I can't recall his full name, but his remarkable generosity transformed my future in multiple respects. I lacked the bravery or self-assurance to reach out at an prestigious college and seek a position. Additionally, I had consistently hoped to pursue education overseas, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that free tuition.
Critically, that job in New York led me to a job in Zurich where I got to know my beautiful French husband, with whom I currently share four amazing children. It was a total sliding doors moment. That benevolent individual redirected my path in life, and I’m always appreciative.
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