In the late 1980s, I was beginning a budget travel adventure to the European continent with a companion. Because my friend was exploring enrolling in graduate studies in NYC, we had planned a 14-day stopover there on the way to London.
We arrived at the student accommodation, a big ten-floor structure on the UWS known as International House. Setting down our luggage, we headed straight to the dining hall, where we picked up meals, found a table, and engaged in conversation with fellow residents.
Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at Columbia University. He inquired what I did for a living, and I shared that I had just graduated with a science degree and had been working on studies involving microscopic analysis.
He noted that there was an electron microscope unit at the institution – close to the engineering department, which was how he knew about it. He proposed that I consider applying for a job with them. I dismissed the idea, telling him that I was soon departing to Europe and, additionally, I did not possess a US visa.
The next day I went out exploring, coming back to the dining hall that night. The Iraqi student approached me and informed me that he had organized a discussion for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Given that he had taken the effort, I attended the interview – but right away informed my interviewer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
As is common in NYC – a city where opportunities abound – she declared: “We'll handle it. When can you start?” I missed my plane to London.
I held that position for a trio of years. One of the benefits was that I got complimentary education at Columbia, and I seized the chance to earn a postgrad program in international relations.
I never saw that student again and I am unaware of his name, but his remarkable generosity transformed my future in numerous aspects. I lacked the courage or self-belief to approach someone at an Ivy League university and request employment. And, I had long dreamed to study abroad, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that free tuition.
Perhaps most importantly, that gig at Columbia resulted in a position in Switzerland where I encountered my handsome spouse from France, with whom I am raising four amazing children. It was a total sliding doors moment. That helpful person changed my trajectory in life, and I’m forever grateful.
Can you recall the Most Generous Act a Stranger Has Ever Done for You?
Whether it's brightening your mood to altering your path, we are interested in unexpected interactions that have stuck with you.
Feel free to recount your experience if you are 18 or over, without revealing your identity if you choose. The stories you tell are protected, and are solely for the goal of sharing inspiring stories.
