In the final years of the 1980s, I was embarking on a budget travel adventure to the European continent with a travel partner. Since my travel mate was interested in starting a postgraduate program in NYC, we had planned a two-week stay there on the way to London.
We reached the postgrad residence, a large 10-storey building on the UWS called International House. After dropping our bags, we went directly to the canteen, where we got some food, took a seat, and started talking to other diners.
Sitting next to me was an individual of Iraqi origin studying engineering at Columbia University. He inquired what I did, and I told him that I had newly finished with a science degree and had been conducting research involving microscopic analysis.
He mentioned that there was an electron microscope unit at the institution – adjacent to the engineering faculty, which was how he knew about it. He recommended that I consider applying for a position with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, explaining that I was about to fly to Europe and, more critically, I didn’t have a US visa.
The next day I toured the city, coming back to the dining hall that evening. The Iraqi student came up to me and informed me that he had arranged an interview for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Because he had gone to the trouble, 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.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a metropolis where opportunities abound – she declared: “We'll handle it. What's your start date?” I never got on that flight to London.
I was employed there for a trio of years. One of the benefits was that I was granted complimentary education at Columbia, and I seized the chance to finish a graduate degree in global studies.
I lost touch with him and I am unaware of his full name, but his selfless gesture transformed my future in so many ways. I would never have had the courage or self-assurance to contact anyone at an prestigious college and ask for a job. Moreover, I had consistently hoped to take classes in another country, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that educational benefit.
Perhaps most importantly, that role at the university led me to a position in Switzerland where I encountered my beautiful French husband, 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 always appreciative.
What is the Kindest Gesture a Stranger Has Shown for You?
From cheering you up to changing your life, we are interested in chance encounters that have left a lasting impression.
We invite you to tell us if you are an adult, anonymously if you choose. The stories you tell are protected, and will only be used the aim of this article.
