The Chance Encounter That Changed Everything
In the late 1980s, Jane Theau embarked on what should have been a straightforward backpacking trip through Europe with a friend. Their journey began with a two-week stop in New York City, where her companion was considering postgraduate studies. Little did Jane know that this brief stay would completely alter the course of her life.
They settled into International House, a ten-storey postgraduate residence on Manhattan's Upper West Side originally established by the Rockefeller family. After dropping their luggage, the pair headed straight to the canteen, where fate intervened through a simple conversation with fellow diners.
An Unexpected Opportunity
Sitting beside Jane was an Iraqi engineering student from Columbia University. When he inquired about her background, Jane mentioned she had recently graduated with a science degree and had been conducting research using electron microscopes at CSIRO.
"He immediately told me about an electron microscope unit at Columbia University," Jane recalls. "The facility was right next to his engineering department, which is how he knew about it. He suggested I should apply for a position there."
Jane initially dismissed the idea, explaining she was about to depart for Europe and, more significantly, lacked the necessary US visa for employment. The conversation might have ended there, but the stranger had other plans.
From Skepticism to Life Transformation
The following day, after exploring New York City, Jane returned to the canteen to find the Iraqi student waiting with surprising news: he had arranged an interview for her with the head of Columbia's electron microscope unit.
Despite her reservations about the visa situation, Jane attended the interview out of respect for the effort he had made. She immediately informed her interviewer about the visa complication, expecting this would end the discussion.
In what Jane describes as "typical New York fashion" - where anything seems possible - the response was immediate and practical: "We can make that happen. When can you start?"
Jane never boarded her flight to London. She remained at Columbia University for three years, working in the electron microscopy unit. An incredible perk of the position included free tuition, which enabled her to complete a master's degree in international affairs - an opportunity she could never have afforded otherwise.
The Ripple Effects of Kindness
Jane reflects that she would never have had the confidence to approach an Ivy League institution independently. "I never saw that student again, and I don't even know his name," she admits, "but his incredible act of kindness changed my life in so many ways."
The impact extended far beyond her academic and professional development. The position at Columbia eventually led to a job in Zurich, where Jane met her French husband. They now share four children together.
This chain of events represents what Jane calls a "total sliding doors moment" - a reference to the concept that small, chance occurrences can dramatically alter life's trajectory. One stranger's initiative set her on an entirely different path, for which she remains eternally grateful.
