During the closing decade of the 80s, I was embarking on a backpacking trip to the European continent with a travel partner. Because my friend was considering enrolling in graduate studies in New York, we had booked a two-week stay there before heading to London.
We arrived at the student accommodation, a big 10-storey building on the Manhattan's Upper West Side called International House. Setting down our luggage, we went directly to the dining hall, where we got some food, sat down, and began chatting with people eating there.
Adjacent to my seat was an gentleman from Iraq studying engineering at an Ivy League institution. He inquired what I did for a living, and I shared that I had newly finished with a degree in science and had been conducting research with electron microscopy.
He pointed out that there was an electron microscope unit at the institution – right next door to the engineering faculty, which was why he was aware of it. He suggested that I consider applying for a role with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, saying that I was about to fly to Europe and, more critically, I didn’t have a US visa.
A day later I ventured out, returning to the canteen that evening. The engineering student came up to me and let me know that he had set up a meeting for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Given that he had taken the effort, I attended the interview – but straight off informed my prospective employer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was unable to accept the role.
In typical New York fashion – a place where opportunities abound – she responded: “That can be arranged. How soon can you begin?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I was employed there for three years. One of the benefits 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 full name, but his selfless gesture altered my destiny in numerous aspects. I lacked the courage or nerve to approach someone at an prestigious college and ask for a job. Moreover, I had long dreamed to pursue education overseas, but could never have afforded it without that educational benefit.
Perhaps most importantly, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a job in Zurich where I encountered my handsome spouse from France, with whom I am raising four amazing children. That encounter altered everything. That benevolent individual redirected my path in life, and I’m forever grateful.
What is the Nicest Thing a Someone You Didn't Know Has Ever Done for You?
Whether it's making your day to transforming your future, we want to hear about random meetings that have left a lasting impression.
We invite you to tell us if you are 18 or over, without revealing your identity if you choose. The stories you tell are protected, and will only be used the goal of sharing inspiring stories.
