During the closing decade of the 80s, I set out on a backpacking trip to Europe with a friend. Since my travel mate was interested in enrolling in graduate studies in the Big Apple, we had booked a 14-day stopover there before heading to London.
We reached the student accommodation, a sizeable ten-floor structure on the Manhattan's Upper West Side named International House. Setting down our luggage, we went directly to the dining hall, where we picked up meals, sat down, and began chatting with people eating there.
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 did for a living, and I shared that I had newly finished with a degree in science and had been working on studies involving microscopic analysis.
He mentioned that there was an research lab at Columbia University – right next door to the school of engineering, which was why he was aware of it. He recommended that I should apply for a position with them. I dismissed the idea, explaining that I was heading off to Europe and, even more importantly, I didn’t have a US visa.
The next day I toured the city, going back to the cafeteria that evening. The Iraqi student walked over to me and told me that he had arranged an interview for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Given that he had taken the effort, I attended the interview – but straight off informed my host that I didn’t have a visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a metropolis where anything feels possible – she said: “We can make that happen. When can you start?” I never got on that flight to London.
I was employed there for three years. One of the benefits was that I was granted free tuition at Columbia, and I took advantage to finish a master’s of international affairs.
I lost touch with him and I don’t even know his full name, but his incredible act of kindness transformed my future in multiple respects. I didn't possess the confidence or self-assurance to reach out at an prestigious college and ask for a job. And, I had consistently hoped to pursue education overseas, but lacked the financial means without that free tuition.
Critically, that role at the university paved the way for a job in Zurich where I met my handsome spouse from France, with whom I now have four wonderful sons and daughters. It was a total sliding doors moment. That benevolent individual changed my trajectory in life, and I’m forever grateful.
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