During the closing decade of the 80s, I set out on a low-cost journey to the European continent with a travel partner. Because my companion was interested in starting a postgraduate program in New York, we had arranged a fortnight visit there en route to London.
We arrived at the student accommodation, a big ten-floor structure on the Upper West Side called International House. Once we unpacked, we headed straight to the dining hall, where we grabbed food, sat down, and started talking to people eating there.
Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man pursuing an engineering degree at a prestigious New York university. He wanted to know what I my profession was, and I shared that I had newly finished with a scientific background and had been conducting research using an electron microscope.
He noted that there was an microscopy facility at the institution – right next door to the engineering department, which was how he knew about it. He suggested that I should apply for a position with them. I dismissed the idea, saying that I was heading off to Europe and, additionally, I lacked a US visa.
The next day I toured the city, going back to the cafeteria that after dark. The man from Iraq walked over to 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 gone to the trouble, I went to the meeting – but right away explained to my interviewer that I was without a work permit, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
As is common in NYC – a place where anything feels possible – she declared: “We'll handle it. What's your start date?” I missed my plane to London.
I worked there for 36 months. A perk of the job was that I was granted complimentary education at Columbia, and I seized the chance to finish a master’s of international affairs.
I never saw that student again and I don’t even know his identity, but his remarkable generosity altered my destiny in numerous aspects. I would never have had the confidence or self-assurance to approach someone at an Ivy League university and seek a position. Additionally, I had always wanted to pursue education overseas, but could never have afforded it without that free tuition.
Perhaps most importantly, that gig at Columbia resulted in a role in Europe where I got to know my beautiful French husband, with whom I now have a family of four kids. That encounter altered everything. That helpful person changed my trajectory 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 brightening your mood to transforming your future, we want to hear about chance encounters that have stuck with you.
We invite you to tell us if you are 18 or over, keeping your details private if you prefer. The stories you tell are secure, and are solely for the purpose of this feature.
