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In the closing decade of the 80s, I was beginning a budget travel adventure to the European continent with a companion. Since my travel mate was interested in starting a postgraduate program in the Big Apple, we had booked a two-week stay there before heading to London.

We arrived at the postgrad residence, a sizeable 10-storey building on the Manhattan's Upper West Side called International House. Once we unpacked, we went directly to the dining hall, where we grabbed food, took a seat, and began chatting with people eating there.

Sitting next to me was an gentleman from Iraq enrolled in an engineering program at Columbia University. He inquired what I did, and I shared that I had just graduated with a science degree and had been working on studies with electron microscopy.

He mentioned that there was an microscopy facility at the institution – right next door to the school of engineering, which was how he knew about it. He proposed that I should apply for a job with them. I dismissed the idea, explaining that I was about to fly to Europe and, even more importantly, I did not possess a US visa.

The next day I went out exploring, going back to the cafeteria that evening. The Iraqi student walked over to me and told me that he had organized a discussion for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Since he had made the arrangement, I showed up for the discussion – but straight off informed my prospective employer that I was without a work permit, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.

In typical New York fashion – a place where anything feels possible – she said: “We can make that happen. What's your start date?” I never got on that flight to London.

I held that position for a trio of years. One of the benefits was that I was granted free tuition at Columbia, and I seized the chance to complete a graduate degree in global studies.

I lost touch with him and I can't recall his full name, but his selfless gesture transformed my future in multiple respects. I didn't possess the bravery or self-belief to contact anyone at an Ivy League university and request employment. Moreover, I had always wanted to pursue education overseas, but lacked the financial means without that educational benefit.

What's more, that gig at Columbia resulted in a job in Zurich where I encountered my wonderful partner, with whom I currently share a family of four kids. That encounter altered everything. That benevolent individual changed my trajectory in life, and I’m forever grateful.

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