During the closing decade of the 80s, I was embarking on a backpacking trip to Europe with a travel partner. Since my companion was interested in enrolling in graduate studies in New York, we had arranged a two-week stay there before heading to London.
We reached the graduate housing, a big multi-story edifice on the UWS called International House. Once we unpacked, we headed straight to the dining hall, where we grabbed food, took a seat, and began chatting with fellow residents.
Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man studying engineering at a prestigious New York university. He wanted to know what I my profession was, and I explained that I had recently completed my studies with a scientific background and had been performing experiments with electron microscopy.
He noted that there was an research lab at the institution – adjacent to the engineering faculty, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He recommended that I consider applying for a job with them. I laughed it off, saying that I was about to fly to Europe and, more critically, I didn’t have a US visa.
The following day I went out exploring, going back to the cafeteria that after dark. The engineering student walked over to me and let me know that he had set up a meeting for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Since 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 unable to accept the role.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a city where everything seems achievable – she declared: “We'll handle it. When can you start?” I never got on that flight to London.
I was employed there for a trio of years. A perk of the job was that I also received free tuition at Columbia, and I seized the chance to finish 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 altered my destiny in so many ways. I would never have had the bravery or self-belief to approach someone at an elite institution and ask for a job. Moreover, I had consistently hoped to study abroad, but could never have afforded it without that educational benefit.
Perhaps most importantly, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a position in Switzerland where I encountered my beautiful French husband, with whom I currently share four wonderful sons and daughters. That encounter altered everything. That benevolent individual changed my trajectory in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
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