In the closing decade of the 80s, I set out on a budget travel adventure to Europe with a friend. Since my travel mate was exploring starting a postgraduate program in NYC, we had booked a 14-day stopover there before heading to London.
We got to the student accommodation, a large multi-story edifice on the Upper West Side called International House. Once we unpacked, we headed straight to the cafeteria, where we got some food, took a seat, and engaged in conversation with fellow residents.
Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at Columbia University. He asked me what I did for a living, and I told him that I had newly finished with a scientific background and had been working on studies using an electron microscope.
He mentioned that there was an research lab at the university – right next door to the engineering faculty, which was why he was aware of it. He suggested that I should apply for a role with them. I laughed it off, saying that I was about to fly to Europe and, more critically, I didn’t have a US visa.
The next day I went out exploring, going back to the cafeteria that evening. The engineering student came up to me and told me that he had arranged an interview for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Because he had taken the effort, I showed up for the discussion – but straight off informed my prospective employer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was probably wasting her time.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a metropolis where everything seems achievable – she said: “That can be arranged. 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 was granted free tuition at Columbia, and I took advantage to earn a postgrad program in international relations.
We didn't cross paths after that and I can't recall his full name, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in so many ways. I didn't possess the bravery or nerve to contact anyone at an Ivy League university and request employment. And, I had always wanted to take classes in another country, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that educational benefit.
Perhaps most importantly, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a position in Switzerland where I got to know my handsome spouse from France, with whom I now have four amazing children. This was a pivotal life event. That helpful person set me on a different course in life, and I’m always appreciative.
What is the Kindest Gesture a Someone You Didn't Know Has Shown for You?
Whether it's brightening your mood to altering your path, we want to hear about random meetings that have stuck with you.
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