During the closing decade of the 80s, I set out on a budget travel adventure to the European continent with a friend. Because my companion was exploring enrolling in graduate studies in the Big Apple, we had booked a two-week stay there before heading to London.
We arrived at the graduate housing, a big ten-floor structure on the Upper West Side known as International House. Once we unpacked, we made our way to the cafeteria, where we grabbed food, found a table, and engaged in conversation with fellow residents.
Beside me was an Iraqi man pursuing an engineering degree at an Ivy League institution. He asked me what I did, and I told him that I had just graduated with a science degree and had been working on studies with electron microscopy.
He noted that there was an research lab at Columbia University – right next door to the engineering department, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He suggested that I ought to seek a role with them. I laughed it off, saying that I was heading off to Europe and, even more importantly, I didn’t have a US visa.
A day later I ventured out, going back to the cafeteria that night. The man from Iraq came up to me and let me know that he had organized a discussion for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Given that he had made the arrangement, I went to the meeting – but immediately informed my prospective employer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was unable to accept the role.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a city where opportunities abound – she responded: “That can be arranged. How soon can you begin?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I held that position for a trio of years. One of the benefits was that I was granted complimentary education at Columbia, and I took advantage to earn a graduate degree in global studies.
We didn't cross paths after that and I don’t even know his identity, but his incredible act of kindness transformed my future in multiple respects. I would never have had the courage or self-assurance to contact anyone at an prestigious college and request employment. And, I had consistently hoped to study abroad, but could never have afforded it without that educational benefit.
Perhaps most importantly, that gig at Columbia resulted in a job in Zurich where I got to know my beautiful French husband, with whom I now have four amazing children. It was a total sliding doors moment. That benevolent individual changed my trajectory in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
What is the Kindest Gesture a Stranger Has Shown for You?
From cheering you up to changing your life, we are interested in chance encounters that have left a lasting impression.
We invite you to tell us if you are 18 or over, without revealing your identity if you wish. The stories you tell are confidential, and are intended for the aim of this article.
