In the final years of the 1980s, I was embarking on a low-cost journey to the European continent with a travel partner. Because my companion was considering starting a postgraduate program in New York, we had planned a fortnight visit there en route to London.
We reached the graduate housing, a large multi-story edifice on the UWS called International House. Once we unpacked, we headed straight to the canteen, where we got some food, sat down, and began chatting with fellow residents.
Sitting next to me was an individual of Iraqi origin enrolled in an engineering program at a prestigious New York university. He inquired what I did for a living, and I told him that I had newly finished with a science degree and had been working on studies using an electron microscope.
He pointed out that there was an microscopy facility at the institution – adjacent to the engineering faculty, which was why he was aware of it. He recommended that I consider applying for a role with them. I laughed it off, telling him that I was heading off to Europe and, even more importantly, I did not possess a US visa.
The next day I toured the city, coming back to the dining hall that evening. The man from Iraq came up to me and told me that he had set up a meeting for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Since he had made the arrangement, I attended the interview – but right away informed my interviewer that I was without a work permit, so I was unable to accept the role.
In typical New York fashion – a metropolis where opportunities abound – she said: “We can make that happen. How soon can you begin?” I never got on that flight to London.
I was employed there for three years. One of the benefits was that I got complimentary education at Columbia, and I seized the chance to complete a master’s of international affairs.
I lost touch with him and I can't recall his identity, but his remarkable generosity transformed my future in numerous aspects. I didn't possess the bravery or nerve to contact anyone at an Ivy League university and request employment. And, I had long dreamed to study abroad, but could never have afforded it without that free tuition.
Perhaps most importantly, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a position in Switzerland where I got to know my wonderful partner, with whom I am raising four wonderful sons and daughters. It was a total sliding doors moment. That kind stranger redirected my path in life, and I’m forever grateful.
What is the Nicest Thing a Someone You Didn't Know Has Once Performed for You?
From brightening your mood to transforming your future, we are interested in unexpected interactions that have stuck with you.
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