During the final years of the 1980s, I was beginning a low-cost journey to the European continent with a friend. Because my travel mate was considering pursuing a master’s degree in New York, we had arranged a 14-day stopover there on the way to London.
We reached the student accommodation, a large 10-storey building on the UWS called International House. Setting down our luggage, we made our way to the dining hall, where we picked up meals, took a seat, and began chatting with people eating there.
Beside me was an individual of Iraqi origin enrolled in an engineering program at a prestigious New York university. He wanted to know what I did for a living, and I explained that I had recently completed my studies with a scientific background and had been working on studies with electron microscopy.
He noted that there was an research lab at the university – adjacent to the school of engineering, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He suggested that I ought to seek a position with them. I dismissed the idea, saying that I was about to fly to Europe and, additionally, I didn’t have a US visa.
The next day I toured the city, going back to the cafeteria that evening. The Iraqi student came up to me and informed 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 told my prospective employer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was unable to accept the role.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a city where opportunities abound – she said: “We can make that happen. How soon can you begin?” I missed my plane to London.
I held that position for 36 months. An advantage of the role was that I also received complimentary education at Columbia, and I seized the chance to finish a graduate degree in global studies.
I never saw that student again and I am unaware of his identity, but his selfless gesture transformed my future in so many ways. I would never have had the bravery or nerve to approach someone at an prestigious college and request employment. And, I had always wanted to study abroad, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that tuition waiver.
Critically, that job in New York paved the way for a position in Switzerland where I encountered my wonderful partner, with whom I now have four wonderful sons and daughters. That encounter altered everything. That helpful person set me on a different course in life, and I’m forever grateful.
What is the Kindest Gesture a Stranger Has Ever Done for You?
From making your day to changing your life, we are interested in chance encounters that have remained in your memory.
Feel free to recount your experience if you are of legal age, keeping your details private if you wish. The stories you tell are confidential, and are solely for the aim of this article.
