During the final years of the 1980s, I was beginning a backpacking trip to the European continent with a friend. Because my friend was exploring starting a postgraduate program in New York, we had planned a two-week stay there on the way to London.
We reached the postgrad residence, a sizeable ten-floor structure on the Manhattan's Upper West Side named International House. After dropping our bags, we headed straight to the dining hall, where we grabbed food, found a table, and started talking to other diners.
Beside me was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at an Ivy League institution. He wanted to know what I did, and I shared that I had recently completed my studies with a scientific background and had been conducting research using an electron microscope.
He pointed out that there was an microscopy facility at the university – close to the school of engineering, which was why he was aware of it. He proposed that I consider applying for a position with them. I dismissed the idea, saying that I was heading off to Europe and, additionally, I did not possess a US visa.
A day later I ventured out, going back to the cafeteria that night. The Iraqi student approached me and told me that he had organized a discussion for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Since he had taken the effort, I went to the meeting – but straight off told my prospective employer that I was without a work permit, so I was probably wasting her time.
As is common in NYC – a city where anything feels possible – she declared: “We'll handle it. How soon can you begin?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I held that position for three years. An advantage of the role was that I also received complimentary education at Columbia, and I took advantage to earn a graduate degree in global studies.
I lost touch with him and I don’t even know his identity, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in so many ways. I would never have had the bravery or nerve to contact anyone at an prestigious college and seek a position. And, I had always wanted to pursue education overseas, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that educational benefit.
Critically, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a position in Switzerland where I met my wonderful partner, with whom I now have a family of four kids. That encounter altered everything. That kind stranger set me on a different course in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
Can you recall the Kindest Gesture a Stranger Has Ever Done for You?
Whether it's making your day to altering your path, we want to hear about unexpected interactions that have remained in your memory.
Feel free to recount your experience if you are 18 or over, without revealing your identity if you choose. The stories you tell are secure, and will only be used the purpose of this feature.
