In the final years of the 1980s, I set out on a low-cost journey to Europe with a travel partner. Because my companion was considering enrolling in graduate studies in NYC, we had planned a fortnight visit there on the way to London.
We arrived at the graduate housing, a big multi-story edifice on the Upper West Side named International House. After dropping our bags, we went directly to the dining hall, where we picked up meals, found a table, and started talking to fellow residents.
Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at an Ivy League institution. He wanted to know what I did for a living, and I told him that I had just graduated with a degree in science and had been performing experiments involving microscopic analysis.
He pointed out that there was an microscopy facility at Columbia University – right next door to the engineering department, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He recommended that I should apply for a position with them. I laughed it off, explaining that I was heading off to Europe and, more critically, I didn’t have a US visa.
The next day I toured the city, coming back to the dining hall that evening. The man from Iraq walked over to me and let me know that he had set up a meeting for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Given that he had taken the effort, I showed up for the discussion – but straight off explained to my interviewer that I was without a work permit, so I was probably wasting her time.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a metropolis where anything feels possible – she declared: “We'll handle it. When can you start?” I never got on that flight to London.
I worked there for three years. An advantage of the role was that I also received free tuition at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to earn a graduate degree in global studies.
I lost touch with him and I am unaware of his full name, but his selfless gesture altered my destiny in multiple respects. I would never have had the bravery or nerve to approach someone at an prestigious college and ask for a job. Additionally, I had long dreamed to study abroad, but lacked the financial means without that tuition waiver.
Perhaps most importantly, that role at the university led me to a role in Europe where I encountered my wonderful partner, with whom I am raising four wonderful sons and daughters. This was a pivotal life event. That kind stranger redirected my path in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
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 chance encounters that have left a lasting impression.
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