In the late 1980s, I set out on a backpacking trip to the European continent with a friend. Since my travel mate was interested in enrolling in graduate studies in NYC, we had booked a 14-day stopover there on the way to London.
We arrived at the graduate housing, a large multi-story edifice on the UWS called International House. After dropping our bags, we headed straight to the canteen, where we grabbed food, sat down, and engaged in conversation with fellow residents.
Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at an Ivy League institution. He asked me what I did, and I told him that I had just graduated with a science degree and had been performing experiments with electron microscopy.
He mentioned that there was an electron microscope unit at Columbia University – adjacent to the engineering faculty, which was why he was aware of it. He proposed 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 didn’t have a US visa.
The next day I toured the city, going back to the cafeteria that night. The engineering student approached me and told me that he had organized a discussion for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Given that he had gone to the trouble, I showed up for the discussion – but immediately explained to my host that I didn’t have a visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
In typical New York fashion – a city where opportunities abound – she declared: “That can be arranged. When can you start?” I missed my plane to London.
I worked there for a trio of years. A perk of the job was that I got no-cost classes at Columbia, and I took advantage to complete a graduate degree in global studies.
We didn't cross paths after that and I am unaware of his full name, but his selfless gesture transformed my future in numerous aspects. I didn't possess the bravery or nerve to contact anyone at an Ivy League university and ask for a job. And, I had always wanted to pursue education overseas, but could never have afforded it without that free tuition.
What's more, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a role in Europe where I encountered my handsome spouse from France, with whom I currently share 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 always appreciative.
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