In the final years of the 1980s, I was beginning a low-cost journey to Europe with a travel partner. Since my companion was interested in enrolling in graduate studies in New York, we had arranged a 14-day stopover there before heading to London.
We got to the postgrad residence, a large 10-storey building on the Upper West Side known as International House. After dropping our bags, we went directly to the dining hall, where we picked up meals, took a seat, and started talking to other diners.
Sitting next to me was an gentleman from Iraq studying engineering at Columbia University. He asked me what I did for a living, and I explained that I had just graduated with a scientific background and had been conducting research involving microscopic analysis.
He mentioned that there was an electron microscope unit at Columbia University – close to the school of engineering, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He recommended that I ought to seek a role with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, saying that I was heading off to Europe and, more critically, I didn’t have a US visa.
The following day I ventured out, coming back to the dining hall that evening. The man from Iraq approached me and told me that he had arranged an interview for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Given that he had gone to the trouble, I showed up for the discussion – but immediately informed my prospective employer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
As is common in NYC – a city where everything seems achievable – she responded: “That can be arranged. When can you start?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I was employed there for 36 months. One of the benefits was that I also received complimentary education at Columbia, and I seized the chance to complete a postgrad program in international relations.
We didn't cross paths after that and I am unaware of his full name, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in so many ways. I lacked the courage or nerve to reach out at an elite institution and ask for a job. And, I had consistently hoped to pursue education overseas, but could never have afforded it without that educational benefit.
What's more, that role at the university led me to a job in Zurich where I met my handsome spouse from France, with whom I now have four amazing children. That encounter altered everything. That benevolent individual redirected my path in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
Can you recall the Kindest Gesture a Stranger Has Shown for You?
Whether it's making your day to altering your path, we are interested in chance encounters that have left a lasting impression.
Feel free to recount your experience if you are 18 or over, anonymously if you choose. Your responses are secure, and are solely for the aim of this article.
