During the closing decade of the 80s, I was embarking on a low-cost journey to the European continent with a travel partner. Because my travel mate was considering starting a postgraduate program in New York, we had booked a fortnight visit there before heading to London.
We got to the postgrad residence, a large ten-floor structure on the Upper West Side called International House. After dropping our bags, we went directly to the canteen, where we picked up meals, sat down, and began chatting with people eating there.
Sitting next to me was an gentleman from Iraq enrolled in an engineering program 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 mentioned that there was an microscopy facility at the university – adjacent to the school of engineering, which was how he knew about it. He suggested that I ought to seek a role with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, telling him that I was about to fly to Europe and, even more importantly, I lacked a US visa.
The next day I ventured out, returning to the canteen that evening. The Iraqi student came up to me and let me know that he had organized a discussion for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Because he had made the arrangement, I showed up for the discussion – but immediately told my prospective employer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
In typical New York fashion – a place where anything feels possible – she said: “That can be arranged. How soon can you begin?” I missed my plane to London.
I was employed there for 36 months. One of the benefits was that I also received complimentary education at Columbia, and I seized the chance to earn a postgrad program in international relations.
We didn't cross paths after that and I can't recall his identity, but his remarkable generosity altered my destiny in multiple respects. I would never have had the courage or self-assurance to reach out at an elite institution and seek a position. Moreover, I had long dreamed to take classes in another country, but lacked the financial means without that educational benefit.
Perhaps most importantly, that job in New York resulted in a position in Switzerland where I met my handsome spouse from France, with whom I am raising four wonderful sons and daughters. This was a pivotal life event. That helpful person set me on a different course in life, and I’m forever grateful.
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