During the final years of the 1980s, I set out on a low-cost journey to Europe with a companion. Because my travel mate was considering pursuing a master’s degree in NYC, we had booked a two-week stay there en route to London.
We reached the graduate housing, a sizeable multi-story edifice on the Manhattan's Upper West Side named International House. Setting down our luggage, we headed straight to the canteen, where we grabbed food, took a seat, and started talking to fellow residents.
Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at an Ivy League institution. He asked me what I my profession was, and I explained that I had recently completed my studies with a degree in science and had been performing experiments using an electron microscope.
He pointed out that there was an microscopy facility at the institution – adjacent to the engineering department, which was why he was aware of it. He suggested that I should apply for a job with them. I laughed it off, saying that I was heading off to Europe and, more critically, I didn’t have a US visa.
The following day I toured the city, going back to the cafeteria that night. The man from Iraq came up to me and informed me that he had organized a discussion for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Since he had taken the effort, I went to the meeting – but straight off informed my host that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was probably wasting her time.
As is common in NYC – a place where everything seems achievable – she said: “That can be arranged. How soon can you begin?” I never got on that flight to London.
I worked there for three years. One of the benefits was that I was granted complimentary education at Columbia, and I seized the chance to complete a graduate degree in global studies.
I lost touch with him and I don’t even know his name, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in multiple respects. I didn't possess the courage or nerve to reach out at an prestigious college and ask for a job. And, I had long dreamed to study abroad, but lacked the financial means without that educational benefit.
What's more, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a role in Europe where I met my handsome spouse from France, with whom I now have four wonderful sons and daughters. This was a pivotal life event. That benevolent individual changed my trajectory in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
Can you recall the Kindest Gesture a Unknown Person Has Shown for You?
From cheering you up to altering your path, we want to hear about random meetings that have left a lasting impression.
Feel free to recount your experience if you are 18 or over, without revealing your identity if you prefer. The stories you tell are protected, and are solely for the goal of sharing inspiring stories.
