In the late 1980s, I set out on a budget travel adventure to Europe with a friend. Since my friend was considering enrolling in graduate studies in the Big Apple, we had planned a 14-day stopover there on the way to London.
We reached the student accommodation, a sizeable ten-floor structure on the Upper West Side called International House. After dropping our bags, we headed straight to the cafeteria, where we picked up meals, took a seat, and began chatting with people eating there.
Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man studying engineering at an Ivy League institution. He wanted to know what I did for a living, and I told him that I had recently completed my studies with a scientific background and had been working on studies involving microscopic analysis.
He mentioned that there was an research lab at Columbia University – right next door to the school of engineering, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He recommended that I ought to seek a job with them. I laughed it off, telling him that I was soon departing to Europe and, more critically, I lacked a US visa.
A day later I toured the city, coming back to the dining hall that after dark. 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 taken the effort, I showed up for the discussion – but right away informed my interviewer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
In typical New York fashion – a city where opportunities abound – she said: “That can be arranged. How soon can you begin?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I held that position for 36 months. An advantage of the role was that I was granted free tuition at Columbia, and I took advantage to complete a graduate degree in global studies.
I never saw that student again and I am unaware of his identity, but his incredible act of kindness altered my destiny in multiple respects. I didn't possess the courage or self-belief to approach someone at an elite institution and ask for a job. And, I had always wanted to study abroad, but could never have afforded it without that free tuition.
Perhaps most importantly, that role at the university led me to a role in Europe where I encountered my beautiful French husband, with whom I currently share four amazing children. That encounter altered everything. That kind stranger set me on a different course in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
What is the Most Generous Act a Stranger Has Ever Done for You?
From brightening your mood to transforming your future, we would love to know unexpected interactions that have left a lasting impression.
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