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During the final years of the 1980s, I set out on a backpacking trip to Europe with a friend. Since my travel mate was considering enrolling in graduate studies in the Big Apple, we had arranged a two-week stay there en route to London.

We arrived at the student accommodation, a sizeable multi-story edifice on the UWS known as International House. After dropping our bags, we went directly to the canteen, where we picked up meals, sat down, and began chatting with people eating there.

Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man studying engineering at Columbia University. He wanted to know what I did for a living, and I told him that I had recently completed my studies with a science degree and had been working on studies with electron microscopy.

He mentioned that there was an electron microscope unit at Columbia University – close to the school of engineering, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He proposed that I should apply for a role with them. I dismissed the idea, saying that I was soon departing to Europe and, additionally, I lacked a US visa.

A day later I ventured out, coming back to the dining hall that evening. The man from Iraq approached me and told me 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 went to the meeting – but straight off told my interviewer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was probably wasting her time.

In typical New York fashion – a place where anything feels possible – she said: “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. A perk of the job was that I was granted free tuition at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to earn a postgrad program in international relations.

We didn't cross paths after that and I am unaware of his full name, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in numerous aspects. I lacked the bravery or nerve to contact anyone at an Ivy League university and ask for a job. Additionally, I had always wanted to take classes in another country, but lacked the financial means without that educational benefit.

Perhaps most importantly, that role at the university led me to a job in Zurich where I encountered my wonderful partner, 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 eternally thankful.

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