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During the closing decade of the 80s, I was beginning a backpacking trip to Europe with a travel partner. Since my friend was exploring starting a postgraduate program in New York, we had booked a fortnight visit there en route to London.

We reached the graduate housing, a large multi-story edifice on the UWS named International House. After dropping our bags, we headed straight to the cafeteria, where we picked up meals, took a seat, and engaged in conversation with other diners.

Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man studying engineering at an Ivy League institution. He asked me what I my profession was, and I told him that I had recently completed my studies with a science degree and had been conducting research involving microscopic analysis.

He noted that there was an research lab at Columbia University – adjacent to the school of engineering, which was why he was aware of it. He suggested that I should apply for a role with them. I laughed it off, telling him that I was heading off to Europe and, additionally, I didn’t have a US visa.

A day later I ventured out, coming back to the dining hall that night. The man from Iraq walked over to me and let me know that he had set up a meeting for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Given that he had made the arrangement, I went to the meeting – but right away explained to my host that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was probably wasting her time.

In typical New York fashion – a metropolis where anything feels possible – she declared: “That can be arranged. How soon can you begin?” I missed my plane to London.

I was employed there for a trio of years. An advantage of the role was that I was granted complimentary education at Columbia, and I took advantage to complete a postgrad program in international relations.

I lost touch with him and I am unaware of his identity, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in numerous aspects. I would never have had the courage or self-belief to contact anyone at an Ivy League university and request employment. Moreover, I had long dreamed to take classes in another country, but lacked the financial means without that tuition waiver.

What's more, that job in New York led me to a position in Switzerland where I met my wonderful partner, with whom I now have a family of four kids. This was a pivotal life event. That kind stranger set me on a different course in life, and I’m always appreciative.

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