During the late 1980s, I set out on a low-cost journey to Europe with a friend. Because my friend was considering enrolling in graduate studies in New York, we had arranged a fortnight visit there before heading to London.
We reached the postgrad residence, a large 10-storey building on the Manhattan's Upper West Side named International House. Setting down our luggage, we headed straight to the cafeteria, where we grabbed food, sat down, and started talking to fellow residents.
Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man studying engineering at an Ivy League institution. He wanted to know what I did, and I shared that I had just graduated with a science degree and had been performing experiments involving microscopic analysis.
He mentioned that there was an electron microscope unit at Columbia University – right next door to the engineering faculty, which was how he knew about it. He proposed that I ought to seek a job with them. I dismissed the idea, explaining that I was soon departing to Europe and, more critically, I didn’t have a US visa.
The next day I toured the city, returning to the canteen that evening. The Iraqi student approached 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 made the arrangement, I showed up for the discussion – but immediately told my prospective employer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was probably wasting her time.
In typical New York fashion – a city where opportunities abound – she responded: “We can make that happen. What's your start date?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I held that position for 36 months. A perk of the job was that I got no-cost classes at Columbia, and I took advantage to finish a graduate degree in global studies.
We didn't cross paths after that and I don’t even know his identity, but his incredible act of kindness altered my destiny in so many ways. I would never have had the bravery or self-assurance to contact anyone at an elite institution and ask for a job. Moreover, I had long dreamed to pursue education overseas, but could never have afforded it without that tuition waiver.
Critically, that job in New York resulted in a role in Europe where I got to know my handsome spouse from France, with whom I currently share four wonderful sons and daughters. That encounter altered everything. That benevolent individual redirected my path in life, and I’m always appreciative.
What is the Most Generous Act a Stranger Has Ever Done for You?
Whether it's making your day to changing your life, we are interested in chance encounters that have stuck with you.
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