During the late 1980s, I set out on a budget travel adventure to Europe with a friend. Because my companion was interested in pursuing a master’s degree in New York, we had planned a fortnight visit there on the way to London.
We got to the graduate housing, a sizeable multi-story edifice on the UWS known as International House. Setting down our luggage, we headed straight to the cafeteria, where we picked up meals, sat down, and began chatting with people eating there.
Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man pursuing an engineering degree at Columbia University. He asked me what I did, and I shared that I had recently completed my studies with a degree in science and had been conducting research involving microscopic analysis.
He mentioned that there was an research lab at the university – right next door to the engineering faculty, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He proposed that I should apply for a role with them. I laughed it off, explaining that I was heading off to Europe and, additionally, I didn’t have a US visa.
A day later I ventured out, coming back to the dining hall that evening. The engineering student came up to me and let me know 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 attended the interview – but right away told my host that I was without a work permit, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
In typical New York fashion – a place where anything feels possible – she responded: “We can make that happen. When can you start?” I never got on that flight to London.
I worked there for 36 months. One of the benefits was that I also received complimentary education at Columbia, and I took advantage to finish a postgrad program in international relations.
I never saw that student again and I can't recall his name, but his remarkable generosity transformed my future in numerous aspects. I would never have had the confidence or self-belief to reach out at an prestigious college and ask for a job. Moreover, I had consistently hoped to take classes in another country, but lacked the financial means without that tuition waiver.
Perhaps most importantly, that job in New York led me to a position in Switzerland where I encountered my beautiful French husband, with whom I currently share four wonderful sons and daughters. This was a pivotal life event. That helpful person changed my trajectory in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
Tell us about the Kindest Gesture a Unknown Person Has Ever Done for You?
From brightening your mood to altering your path, we are interested in unexpected interactions that have stuck with you.
We invite you to tell us if you are an adult, without revealing your identity if you choose. The stories you tell are confidential, and are solely for the goal of sharing inspiring stories.
