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During the closing decade of the 80s, I set out on a budget travel adventure to Europe with a travel partner. Since my friend was exploring enrolling in graduate studies in the Big Apple, we had planned a fortnight visit there en route to London.

We arrived at the graduate housing, a sizeable 10-storey building on the Manhattan's Upper West Side called International House. After dropping our bags, we made our way to the canteen, where we grabbed food, sat down, and engaged in conversation with people eating there.

Beside me was an individual of Iraqi origin enrolled in an engineering program at a prestigious New York university. He inquired what I did, and I shared that I had just graduated with a science degree and had been conducting research using an electron microscope.

He mentioned that there was an research lab at the institution – right next door to the engineering faculty, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He recommended that I should apply for a job with them. I laughed it off, telling him that I was heading off to Europe and, even more importantly, I didn’t have a US visa.

A day later I went out exploring, going back to the cafeteria that night. The man from Iraq walked over to me and let me know that he had organized a discussion for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Since he had gone to the trouble, I showed up for the discussion – but right away informed my prospective employer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.

In typical New York fashion – a metropolis where everything seems achievable – she declared: “We can make that happen. What's your start date?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.

I was employed there for 36 months. One of the benefits was that I also received no-cost classes at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to finish a postgrad program in international relations.

We didn't cross paths after that and I don’t even know his name, but his remarkable generosity transformed my future in multiple respects. I would never have had the confidence or self-belief to approach someone at an prestigious college and request employment. Moreover, I had consistently hoped to take classes in another country, but could never have afforded it without that educational benefit.

Critically, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a position in Switzerland where I got to know my beautiful French husband, with whom I am raising four amazing children. This was a pivotal life event. That helpful person changed my trajectory in life, and I’m eternally thankful.

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