In the closing decade of the 80s, I was beginning a budget travel adventure to Europe with a friend. Since my companion was exploring starting a postgraduate program in NYC, we had booked a fortnight visit there on the way to London.
We arrived at the postgrad residence, a large ten-floor structure on the Manhattan's Upper West Side called International House. After dropping our bags, we made our way to the canteen, where we grabbed food, sat down, and engaged in conversation with other diners.
Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man studying engineering at an Ivy League institution. He wanted to know what I my profession was, and I shared that I had newly finished with a scientific background and had been performing experiments using an electron microscope.
He noted that there was an research lab at the university – right next door to the engineering department, which was how he knew about it. He suggested that I ought to seek a position with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, explaining that I was about to fly to Europe and, even more importantly, I did not possess a US visa.
The following day I toured the city, returning to the canteen that evening. The Iraqi student approached me and informed me that he had organized a discussion for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Because he had made the arrangement, I attended the interview – but right away informed my prospective employer that I was without a work permit, so I was probably wasting her time.
In typical New York fashion – a place where everything seems achievable – she said: “That can be arranged. How soon can you begin?” I missed my plane to London.
I held that position for a trio of years. A perk of the job was that I got complimentary education at Columbia, and I seized the chance to finish a master’s of international affairs.
I lost touch with him and I don’t even know his name, but his remarkable generosity transformed my future in multiple respects. I lacked the bravery or self-assurance to reach out at an Ivy League university and ask for a job. Additionally, I had long dreamed to study abroad, 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 wonderful partner, with whom I currently share four amazing children. That encounter altered everything. That benevolent individual changed my trajectory in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
What is the Kindest Gesture a Someone You Didn't Know Has Once Performed for You?
Whether it's cheering you up to altering your path, we want to hear about chance encounters that have left a lasting impression.
Please share your story if you are 18 or over, anonymously if you wish. What you share are protected, and will only be used the aim of this article.
