During the final years of the 1980s, I was embarking on a budget travel adventure to the European continent with a travel partner. Since my friend was considering starting a postgraduate program in New York, we had planned a two-week stay there on the way to London.
We reached the student accommodation, a big ten-floor structure on the Manhattan's Upper West Side named International House. Once we unpacked, we made our way to the dining hall, where we got some food, found a table, and engaged in conversation with fellow residents.
Adjacent to my seat was an individual of Iraqi origin enrolled in an engineering program at an Ivy League institution. He wanted to know what I my profession was, and I told him that I had recently completed my studies with a scientific background and had been performing experiments with electron microscopy.
He mentioned that there was an electron microscope unit at Columbia University – close to the engineering faculty, which was why he was aware of it. He proposed that I ought to seek a job with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, saying 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 night. The engineering student walked over to me and let me know that he had organized a discussion for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Because he had taken the effort, I showed up for the discussion – but right away told my interviewer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was probably wasting her time.
As is common in NYC – a metropolis where anything feels possible – she responded: “We can make that happen. How soon can you begin?” I never got on that flight to London.
I held that position for a trio of years. A perk of the job was that I was granted no-cost classes at Columbia, and I took advantage to earn a postgrad program in international relations.
I lost touch with him and I am unaware of his name, but his incredible act of kindness transformed my future in numerous aspects. I lacked the courage or self-belief to contact anyone at an prestigious college and seek a position. Moreover, I had long dreamed to study abroad, but could never have afforded it without that tuition waiver.
Perhaps most importantly, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a role in Europe where I encountered my beautiful French husband, with whom I now have four wonderful sons and daughters. It was a total sliding doors moment. That kind stranger set me on a different course in life, and I’m forever grateful.
What is the Kindest Gesture a Someone You Didn't Know Has Ever Done for You?
From brightening your mood to transforming your future, we are interested in chance encounters that have stuck with you.
Feel free to recount your experience if you are an adult, keeping your details private if you prefer. The stories you tell are confidential, and are intended for the purpose of this feature.
