In the final years of the 1980s, I was beginning a backpacking trip to Europe with a travel partner. Since my companion was exploring enrolling in graduate studies in New York, we had planned a fortnight visit there en route to London.
We got to the student accommodation, a big multi-story edifice on the Upper West Side called International House. Setting down our luggage, we headed straight to the dining hall, where we picked up meals, took a seat, and engaged in conversation with people eating there.
Beside 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 explained that I had recently completed my studies with a degree in science and had been performing experiments with electron microscopy.
He noted that there was an electron microscope unit at the university – close to the engineering department, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He suggested that I should apply for a job with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, telling him that I was about to fly to Europe and, additionally, I lacked a US visa.
The next day I toured the city, returning to the canteen that after dark. The Iraqi student walked over to me and informed me that he had arranged an interview for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Since he had taken the effort, I showed up for the discussion – but immediately informed my interviewer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
As is common in NYC – a metropolis where opportunities abound – she responded: “We'll handle it. How soon can you begin?” I never got on that flight to London.
I held that position for a trio of years. A perk of the job was that I got free tuition at Columbia, and I seized the chance to earn a master’s of international affairs.
We didn't cross paths after that and I am unaware of his identity, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in so many ways. I lacked the courage or nerve to approach someone at an elite institution and seek a position. And, I had consistently hoped to take classes in another country, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that tuition waiver.
Critically, that job in New York paved the way for a position in Switzerland where I encountered my handsome spouse from France, with whom I currently share four wonderful sons and daughters. That encounter altered everything. That kind stranger set me on a different course in life, and I’m forever grateful.
Can you recall the Kindest Gesture a Someone You Didn't Know Has Shown for You?
From cheering you up to altering your path, we are interested in unexpected interactions that have stuck with you.
Feel free to recount your experience if you are 18 or over, without revealing your identity if you wish. The stories you tell are protected, and are solely for the goal of sharing inspiring stories.
