During the late 1980s, I was embarking on a budget travel adventure to Europe with a friend. Because my companion was considering pursuing a master’s degree in NYC, we had arranged a 14-day stopover there en route to London.
We arrived at the postgrad residence, a sizeable 10-storey building on the Manhattan's Upper West Side called International House. After dropping our bags, we headed straight to the cafeteria, where we got some food, found a table, and began chatting with people eating there.
Sitting next to me was an gentleman from Iraq enrolled in an engineering program at Columbia University. He asked me what I did, and I explained that I had recently completed my studies with a science degree and had been conducting research using an electron microscope.
He noted that there was an microscopy facility at the institution – adjacent to the engineering department, which was why he was aware of it. He recommended that I ought to seek a position with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, saying that I was soon departing to Europe and, additionally, I did not possess a US visa.
The next day I went out exploring, coming back to the dining hall that after dark. The Iraqi student walked over to me and informed me that he had set up a meeting for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Because he had gone to the trouble, I attended the interview – but immediately explained to my host that I didn’t have a visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
As is common in NYC – a metropolis where anything feels possible – she responded: “We'll handle it. What's your start date?” I never got on that flight to London.
I worked there for 36 months. An advantage of the role was that I also received no-cost classes at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to earn a graduate degree in global studies.
I never saw that student again and I can't recall his identity, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in numerous aspects. I lacked the confidence or self-belief to contact anyone at an prestigious college and ask for a job. And, I had long dreamed to pursue education overseas, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that free tuition.
What's more, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a role in Europe where I got to know my handsome spouse from France, with whom I am raising a family of four kids. That encounter altered everything. That kind stranger set me on a different course in life, and I’m always appreciative.
What is the Kindest Gesture a Unknown Person Has Ever Done for You?
Whether it's making your day to changing your life, we would love to know random meetings that have left a lasting impression.
Feel free to recount your experience if you are an adult, keeping your details private if you wish. Your responses are confidential, and will only be used the aim of this article.
