During the final years of the 1980s, I was embarking on a budget travel adventure to the European continent with a travel partner. Because my companion was interested in pursuing a master’s degree in New York, we had arranged a 14-day stopover there en route to London.
We arrived at the graduate housing, a large multi-story edifice on the Upper West Side called International House. Setting down our luggage, we headed straight to the dining hall, where we got some food, took a seat, and began chatting with fellow residents.
Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man pursuing an engineering degree at Columbia University. He asked me what I did for a living, and I told him that I had just graduated with a scientific background and had been performing experiments with electron microscopy.
He noted that there was an microscopy facility at the institution – close to the school of engineering, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He recommended that I should apply for a role with them. I dismissed the idea, saying that I was soon departing to Europe and, even more importantly, I lacked a US visa.
The following day I ventured out, going back to the cafeteria that evening. The man from Iraq walked over to me and let me know that he had organized a discussion for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Given that he had taken the effort, I went to the meeting – but immediately explained to my prospective employer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
As is common in NYC – a metropolis where anything feels possible – she declared: “That can be arranged. What's your start date?” I missed my plane to London.
I held that position for a trio of years. A perk of the job was that I got no-cost classes at Columbia, and I seized the chance to finish a master’s of international affairs.
I lost touch with him and I don’t even know his full name, but his incredible act of kindness changed my life in numerous aspects. I didn't possess the courage or nerve to approach someone at an elite institution and ask for a job. Moreover, I had long dreamed to study abroad, but lacked the financial means without that tuition waiver.
Perhaps most importantly, that job in New York paved the way for a role in Europe where I encountered my beautiful French husband, with whom I am raising a family of four kids. It was a total sliding doors moment. That benevolent individual changed my trajectory in life, and I’m forever grateful.
What is the Nicest Thing a Unknown Person Has Once Performed for You?
From brightening your mood to altering your path, we would love to know random meetings that have remained in your memory.
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