In the final years of the 1980s, I set out on a backpacking trip to the European continent with a friend. Because my travel mate was exploring starting a postgraduate program in New York, we had arranged a fortnight visit there en route to London.
We arrived at the student accommodation, a sizeable 10-storey building on the Upper West Side called International House. Once we unpacked, we made our way to the cafeteria, where we got some food, found a table, and began chatting with fellow residents.
Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man pursuing an engineering degree at an Ivy League institution. He inquired what I did, and I explained that I had newly finished with a scientific background and had been working on studies involving microscopic analysis.
He noted that there was an research lab at Columbia University – close to the engineering department, which was how he knew about it. He recommended that I consider applying for a job with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, explaining that I was heading off to Europe and, even more importantly, I didn’t have a US visa.
The next day I went out exploring, going back to the cafeteria that night. The man from Iraq walked over to me and let me know that he had arranged an interview for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Given that he had gone to the trouble, I attended the interview – but straight off informed my prospective employer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was unable to accept the role.
In typical New York fashion – a city where opportunities abound – she said: “That can be arranged. How soon can you begin?” I missed my plane to London.
I was employed there for a trio of years. A perk of the job was that I got no-cost classes at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to finish a master’s of international affairs.
We didn't cross paths after that and I can't recall his name, but his incredible act of kindness altered my destiny in multiple respects. I lacked the bravery or self-assurance to contact anyone at an prestigious college and ask for a job. Additionally, I had long dreamed to pursue education overseas, but lacked the financial means without that tuition waiver.
What's more, that gig at Columbia led me to a job in Zurich where I got to know my handsome spouse from France, with whom I currently share a family of four kids. This was a pivotal life event. That helpful person redirected my path in life, and I’m always appreciative.
Can you recall the Most Generous Act a Stranger Has Once Performed for You?
From brightening your mood to changing your life, we want to hear about unexpected interactions that have remained in your memory.
We invite you to tell us if you are 18 or over, without revealing your identity if you prefer. The stories you tell are secure, and are intended for the purpose of this feature.
