In the final years of the 1980s, I set out on a low-cost journey to Europe with a companion. Because my friend was exploring pursuing a master’s degree in New York, we had planned a two-week stay there on the way to London.
We arrived at the student accommodation, a big 10-storey building on the UWS called International House. Once we unpacked, we made our way to the dining hall, where we grabbed food, took a seat, and engaged in conversation with other diners.
Beside me was an gentleman from Iraq pursuing an engineering degree at Columbia University. He asked me what I my profession was, and I explained that I had newly finished with a science degree and had been performing experiments using an electron microscope.
He mentioned that there was an research lab at the institution – adjacent to the engineering department, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He proposed that I should apply for a job with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, explaining that I was heading off to Europe and, more critically, I didn’t have a US visa.
A day later I ventured out, going back to the cafeteria that after dark. The Iraqi student came up to me and let me know that he had set up a meeting for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Since he had gone to the trouble, I went to the meeting – but immediately explained to my prospective employer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was probably wasting her time.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a metropolis where opportunities abound – she said: “We'll handle it. How soon can you begin?” I missed my plane to London.
I held that position for three years. An advantage of the role was that I got free tuition at Columbia, and I seized the chance to earn a postgrad program in international relations.
I lost touch with him and I am unaware of his identity, but his selfless gesture changed my life in so many ways. I lacked the courage or self-assurance to reach out at an elite institution and ask for a job. Additionally, I had long dreamed to pursue education overseas, but lacked the financial means without that educational benefit.
What's more, that role at the university paved the way for a position in Switzerland where I got to know my handsome spouse from France, with whom I now have four wonderful sons and daughters. That encounter altered everything. That benevolent individual changed my trajectory in life, and I’m always appreciative.
What is the Nicest Thing a Unknown Person Has Once Performed for You?
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