During the final years of the 1980s, I was embarking on a low-cost journey to the European continent with a travel partner. Because my companion was considering enrolling in graduate studies in the Big Apple, we had arranged a fortnight visit there before heading to London.
We got to the student accommodation, a large 10-storey building on the Manhattan's Upper West Side known as International House. Once we unpacked, we headed straight to the dining hall, where we grabbed food, sat down, and began chatting with other diners.
Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at Columbia University. He wanted to know what I did for a living, and I shared that I had newly finished with a scientific background and had been performing experiments with electron microscopy.
He mentioned that there was an electron microscope unit at the university – adjacent to the engineering faculty, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He recommended that I consider applying for a role with them. I dismissed the idea, saying that I was soon departing to Europe and, more critically, I did not possess a US visa.
The next day I went out exploring, coming back to the dining hall that evening. The engineering student approached me and told me that he had organized a discussion for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Since he had gone to the trouble, I showed up for the discussion – but right away informed my prospective employer that I was without a work permit, so I was unable to accept the role.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a city where opportunities abound – she declared: “We'll handle it. What's your start date?” I never got on that flight to London.
I was employed there for three years. An advantage of the role was that I was granted free tuition at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to earn a master’s of international affairs.
I lost touch with him and I can't recall his full name, but his incredible act of kindness changed my life in numerous aspects. I lacked the courage or self-assurance to approach someone at an prestigious college and seek a position. Additionally, I had long dreamed to take classes in another country, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that free tuition.
What's more, that gig at Columbia led me to a role in Europe where I encountered my handsome spouse from France, with whom I currently share four amazing children. That encounter altered everything. That kind stranger changed my trajectory in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
What is the Kindest Gesture a Unknown Person Has Shown for You?
Whether it's brightening your mood to altering your path, we want to hear about random meetings that have left a lasting impression.
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