In the late 1980s, I was embarking on a low-cost journey to the European continent with a friend. Because my friend was considering pursuing a master’s degree in the Big Apple, we had booked a two-week stay there en route to London.
We arrived at the student accommodation, a big ten-floor structure on the Manhattan's Upper West Side called International House. Once we unpacked, we went directly to the cafeteria, where we picked up meals, found a table, and engaged in conversation with other diners.
Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man pursuing an engineering degree at a prestigious New York university. He asked me what I did for a living, and I shared that I had just graduated with a science degree and had been performing experiments involving microscopic analysis.
He mentioned that there was an electron microscope unit at Columbia 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 chuckled at the suggestion, telling him that I was about to fly to Europe and, additionally, I didn’t have a US visa.
A day later I toured the city, returning to the canteen that night. The engineering student approached me and let me know that he had set up a meeting for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Because he had made the arrangement, I went to the meeting – but immediately informed my interviewer that I was without a work permit, so I was unable to accept the role.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a place where anything feels possible – she declared: “We'll handle it. How soon can you begin?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I held that position for three years. An advantage of the role was that I was granted complimentary education at Columbia, and I seized the chance to complete a master’s of international affairs.
I lost touch with him and I can't recall his identity, but his incredible act of kindness transformed my future in multiple respects. I lacked the confidence or nerve to approach someone at an Ivy League university and ask for a job. And, I had always wanted to pursue education overseas, but could never have afforded it without that free tuition.
What's more, that job in New York resulted in a position in Switzerland where I encountered my wonderful partner, with whom I am raising a family of four kids. This was a pivotal life event. That benevolent individual changed my trajectory in life, and I’m forever grateful.
What is the Kindest Gesture a Stranger Has Ever Done for You?
From brightening your mood to changing your life, we would love to know chance encounters that have left a lasting impression.
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