During the final years of the 1980s, I was beginning a backpacking trip to Europe with a friend. Because my travel mate was considering starting a postgraduate program in New York, we had booked a fortnight visit there en route to London.
We reached the postgrad residence, a sizeable multi-story edifice on the UWS named International House. Setting down our luggage, we went directly to the canteen, where we got some food, sat down, and started talking to other diners.
Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man pursuing an engineering degree at Columbia University. He asked me what I my profession was, and I shared that I had newly finished with a science degree and had been working on studies using an electron microscope.
He noted that there was an microscopy facility at the institution – right next door to the school of engineering, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He proposed that I consider applying for a job with them. I laughed it off, explaining that I was soon departing to Europe and, more critically, I did not possess a US visa.
A day later I ventured out, coming back to the dining hall that evening. The man from Iraq walked over to me and informed me that he had set up a meeting for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Given that he had made the arrangement, I showed up for the discussion – but right away told my prospective employer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
In typical New York fashion – a place where everything seems achievable – she said: “That can be arranged. What's your start date?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I held that position for a trio of years. A perk of the job was that I was granted no-cost classes at Columbia, and I seized the chance to complete a graduate degree in global studies.
We didn't cross paths after that and I don’t even know his identity, but his remarkable generosity transformed my future in numerous aspects. I lacked the courage or self-assurance to reach out at an elite institution and request employment. And, I had always wanted to take classes in another country, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that free tuition.
What's more, that role at the university paved the way for a position in Switzerland where I encountered my wonderful partner, with whom I currently share four amazing children. That encounter altered everything. That helpful person redirected my path in life, and I’m forever grateful.
Can you recall the Nicest Thing a Unknown Person Has Ever Done for You?
Whether it's making your day to altering your path, we are interested in unexpected interactions that have left a lasting impression.
Please share your story if you are an adult, keeping your details private if you prefer. Your responses are confidential, and are solely for the aim of this article.
