In the closing decade of the 80s, I set out on a backpacking trip to the European continent with a friend. Since my companion was exploring pursuing a master’s degree in NYC, we had planned a 14-day stopover there en route to London.
We arrived at the student accommodation, a large multi-story edifice on the Manhattan's Upper West Side named International House. Once we unpacked, we went directly to the dining hall, where we got some food, sat down, and engaged in conversation with people eating there.
Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man studying engineering at an Ivy League institution. He inquired what I did, and I shared that I had recently completed my studies with a scientific background and had been working on studies using an electron microscope.
He mentioned that there was an microscopy facility at the institution – adjacent to the engineering faculty, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He proposed that I ought to seek a job with them. I laughed it off, explaining that I was heading off to Europe and, additionally, I lacked a US visa.
A day later I went out exploring, returning to the canteen that evening. The Iraqi student approached me and told me that he had arranged an interview for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Because he had made the arrangement, I showed up for the discussion – but right away told my interviewer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
In typical New York fashion – a city where anything feels possible – she said: “That can be arranged. When can you start?” I never got on that flight to London.
I worked there for 36 months. One of the benefits was that I also received no-cost classes at Columbia, and I took advantage to earn a master’s of international affairs.
We didn't cross paths after that and I am unaware of his full name, but his remarkable generosity transformed my future in multiple respects. I didn't possess the confidence or self-assurance to contact anyone at an Ivy League university and ask for a job. Additionally, I had always wanted to pursue education overseas, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that free tuition.
Critically, that role at the university resulted in a job in Zurich where I met my handsome spouse from France, with whom I currently share four wonderful sons and daughters. This was a pivotal life event. That kind stranger redirected my path in life, and I’m always appreciative.
What is the Kindest Gesture a Someone You Didn't Know Has Ever Done for You?
Whether it's cheering you up to transforming your future, we are interested in random meetings that have left a lasting impression.
Feel free to recount your experience if you are an adult, anonymously if you choose. Your responses are protected, and are intended for the purpose of this feature.
