During the closing decade of the 80s, I set out on a budget travel adventure to Europe with a companion. Since my friend was exploring enrolling in graduate studies in NYC, we had booked a 14-day stopover there before heading to London.
We reached the graduate housing, a large multi-story edifice on the UWS named International House. Setting down our luggage, we went directly to the cafeteria, where we picked up meals, took a seat, and engaged in conversation with fellow residents.
Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man studying engineering at an Ivy League institution. He inquired what I did for a living, and I shared that I had just graduated with a science degree and had been conducting research with electron microscopy.
He noted that there was an research lab at Columbia University – right next door to the school of engineering, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He recommended that I should apply for a role with them. I dismissed the idea, explaining that I was about to fly to Europe and, more critically, I did not possess a US visa.
The next day I ventured out, returning to the canteen that evening. The man from Iraq came up to me and told me that he had arranged an interview for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Because he had taken the effort, I showed up for the discussion – but right away told my interviewer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
In typical New York fashion – a place where anything feels possible – she declared: “We can make that happen. When can you start?” I missed my plane to London.
I held that position for 36 months. One of the benefits was that I got no-cost classes at Columbia, and I took advantage to finish a master’s of international affairs.
We didn't cross paths after that and I am unaware of his full name, but his selfless gesture altered my destiny in multiple respects. I lacked the bravery or self-assurance to contact anyone at an prestigious college and request employment. Additionally, I had consistently hoped to take classes in another country, but lacked the financial means without that tuition waiver.
Perhaps most importantly, that role at the university led me to a job in Zurich where I got to know my wonderful partner, with whom I am raising four amazing children. That encounter altered everything. That kind stranger set me on a different course in life, and I’m always appreciative.
Can you recall the Most Generous Act a Stranger Has Once Performed for You?
Whether it's brightening your mood to transforming your future, we are interested in random meetings that have stuck with you.
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