In the late 1980s, I set out on a budget travel adventure to Europe with a friend. Because my companion was considering starting a postgraduate program in New York, we had arranged a two-week stay there en route to London.
We reached the student accommodation, a big 10-storey building on the Upper West Side called International House. Once we unpacked, we made our way to the dining hall, where we picked up meals, found a table, and engaged in conversation with fellow residents.
Beside me was an gentleman from Iraq studying engineering at a prestigious New York university. He asked me what I did, and I shared that I had just graduated with a science degree and had been working on studies using an electron microscope.
He mentioned that there was an microscopy facility at the institution – right next door to the engineering department, which was why he was aware of it. He suggested that I consider applying for a job with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, telling him that I was heading off to Europe and, additionally, I did not possess a US visa.
The following day I ventured out, coming back to the dining hall that after dark. The man from Iraq walked over to me and told me that he had set up a meeting for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Since he had taken the effort, I attended the interview – but immediately explained to my host that I didn’t have a visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a metropolis where opportunities abound – she responded: “We'll handle it. How soon can you begin?” I missed my plane to London.
I worked there for 36 months. One of the benefits was that I was granted no-cost classes at Columbia, and I seized the chance to finish a postgrad program in international relations.
We didn't cross paths after that and I am unaware of his identity, but his selfless gesture changed my life in so many ways. I didn't possess the confidence or self-belief to approach someone 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 free tuition.
Critically, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a job in Zurich where I got to know my beautiful French husband, with whom I am raising four wonderful sons and daughters. That encounter altered everything. That kind stranger redirected my path in life, and I’m always appreciative.
Can you recall the Nicest Thing a Someone You Didn't Know Has Ever Done for You?
From cheering you up to altering your path, we want to hear about chance encounters that have left a lasting impression.
Feel free to recount your experience if you are 18 or over, without revealing your identity if you prefer. What you share are confidential, and will only be used the goal of sharing inspiring stories.
