During the late 1980s, I was embarking on a low-cost journey to Europe with a travel partner. Because my companion was considering enrolling in graduate studies in NYC, we had booked a 14-day stopover there en route to London.
We arrived at the student accommodation, a big 10-storey building on the Manhattan's Upper West Side called International House. Once we unpacked, we headed straight to the canteen, where we picked up meals, found a table, and started talking to people eating there.
Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at Columbia University. He inquired what I my profession was, and I explained that I had recently completed my studies with a scientific background and had been performing experiments involving microscopic analysis.
He mentioned that there was an research lab at the university – adjacent to the engineering department, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He suggested that I consider applying for a job with them. I laughed it off, explaining that I was about to fly to Europe and, more critically, I did not possess a US visa.
The following day I ventured out, coming back to the dining hall that evening. The man from Iraq approached me and let me know that he had set up a meeting for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Because he had gone to the trouble, I showed up for the discussion – but right away told my prospective employer that I was without a work permit, so I was probably wasting her time.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a metropolis where everything seems achievable – she said: “We can make that happen. When can you start?” I never got on that flight to London.
I held that position for 36 months. One of the benefits was that I also received no-cost classes at Columbia, and I seized the chance to earn a graduate degree in global studies.
We didn't cross paths after that and I am unaware of his name, but his incredible act of kindness transformed my future in multiple respects. I lacked the confidence or nerve to reach out at an prestigious college and request employment. Additionally, I had always wanted to study abroad, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that tuition waiver.
What's more, that gig at Columbia resulted in a position in Switzerland where I met my beautiful French husband, with whom I now have four amazing children. It was a total sliding doors moment. That helpful person changed my trajectory in life, and I’m forever grateful.
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