In the late 1980s, I set out on a backpacking trip to Europe with a friend. Since my friend was considering starting a postgraduate program in New York, we had booked a two-week stay there on the way to London.
We arrived at the graduate housing, a big multi-story edifice on the UWS named International House. Once we unpacked, we headed straight to the dining hall, where we picked up meals, took a seat, and started talking to other diners.
Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at an Ivy League institution. He wanted to know what I my profession was, and I explained that I had just graduated with a degree in science and had been working on studies with electron microscopy.
He noted that there was an research lab at Columbia University – adjacent to the school of engineering, which was how he knew about it. He proposed that I ought to seek a position with them. I laughed it off, explaining that I was heading off to Europe and, additionally, I lacked a US visa.
A day later I ventured out, coming back to the dining hall that evening. The man from Iraq walked over to me and informed me that he had arranged an interview for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Given that he had taken the effort, I went to the meeting – but straight off informed my prospective employer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was unable to accept the role.
As is common in NYC – a place where everything seems achievable – she said: “That can be arranged. When can you start?” I missed my plane to London.
I was employed there for 36 months. One of the benefits was that I got complimentary education at Columbia, and I seized the chance to finish a graduate degree in global studies.
I lost touch with him and I don’t even know his identity, but his selfless gesture altered my destiny in multiple respects. I would never have had the bravery or self-belief to reach out at an Ivy League university and seek a position. Additionally, I had always wanted to take classes in another country, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that free tuition.
What's more, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a role in Europe where I got to know my wonderful partner, with whom I now have four amazing children. This was a pivotal life event. That helpful person changed my trajectory in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
What is the Kindest Gesture a Someone You Didn't Know Has Once Performed for You?
From brightening your mood to altering your path, we are interested in chance encounters that have remained in your memory.
We invite you to tell us if you are 18 or over, without revealing your identity if you wish. What you share are secure, and are solely for the goal of sharing inspiring stories.
