During the late 1980s, I was beginning a low-cost journey to Europe with a travel partner. Because my companion was exploring pursuing a master’s degree in the Big Apple, we had planned a fortnight visit there before heading to London.
We got to the student accommodation, a large ten-floor structure on the Upper West Side called International House. After dropping our bags, we headed straight to the cafeteria, where we picked up meals, sat down, and began chatting with other diners.
Adjacent to my seat was an individual of Iraqi origin pursuing an engineering degree at a prestigious New York university. He asked me what I my profession was, and I explained 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 research lab at the institution – adjacent to the engineering faculty, which was why he was aware of it. He suggested that I consider applying for a role with them. I dismissed the idea, explaining that I was heading off to Europe and, more critically, I didn’t have a US visa.
The following day I toured the city, coming back to the dining hall that night. The engineering student came up to me and told me that he had set up a meeting for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Given that he had made the arrangement, I went to the meeting – but straight off explained to my interviewer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
As is common in NYC – a metropolis where opportunities abound – she declared: “That can be arranged. When can you start?” I never got on that flight to London.
I held that position for a trio of years. One of the benefits was that I was granted no-cost classes at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to finish a postgrad program in international relations.
I lost touch with him and I can't recall his identity, but his remarkable generosity transformed my future in multiple respects. I didn't possess the confidence or self-assurance to approach someone at an Ivy League university and seek a position. Additionally, I had consistently hoped to take classes in another country, but lacked the financial means without that free tuition.
Perhaps most importantly, that job in New York resulted in a job in Zurich where I met 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 forever grateful.
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