In the final years of the 1980s, I was embarking on a low-cost journey to the European continent with a companion. Because my travel mate was considering starting a postgraduate program in New York, we had planned a fortnight visit there before heading to London.
We reached the graduate housing, a sizeable ten-floor structure on the UWS known as International House. Setting down our luggage, we made our way to the cafeteria, where we picked up meals, found a table, and began chatting with other diners.
Sitting next to me was an gentleman from Iraq studying engineering at a prestigious New York university. He wanted to know what I my profession was, and I explained that I had newly finished with a scientific background and had been conducting research using an electron microscope.
He mentioned that there was an electron microscope unit at the university – close to the engineering faculty, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He recommended that I ought to seek a position with them. I dismissed the idea, telling him that I was soon departing to Europe and, even more importantly, I didn’t have a US visa.
The following day I toured the city, going back to the cafeteria that night. The engineering 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. Because he had gone to the trouble, I showed up for the discussion – but right away told my prospective employer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was probably wasting her time.
In typical New York fashion – a city where anything feels possible – she responded: “We'll handle it. When can you start?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I held that position for three years. A perk of the job was that I got complimentary education at Columbia, and I seized the chance to finish a postgrad program in international relations.
We didn't cross paths after that and I can't recall his identity, but his incredible act of kindness changed my life in multiple respects. I didn't possess the bravery or self-belief to approach someone at an elite institution and seek a position. Additionally, I had always wanted to pursue education overseas, but lacked the financial means without that tuition waiver.
Perhaps most importantly, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a job in Zurich where I got to know my beautiful French husband, with whom I currently share four amazing children. That encounter altered everything. That benevolent individual changed my trajectory in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
What is the Kindest Gesture a Stranger Has Ever Done for You?
Whether it's brightening your mood to altering your path, we are interested in random meetings that have remained in your memory.
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