In the final years of the 1980s, I set out on a backpacking trip to the European continent with a friend. Because my companion was interested in pursuing a master’s degree in New York, we had booked a fortnight visit there before heading to London.
We reached the graduate housing, a large multi-story edifice on the UWS called International House. Once we unpacked, we made our way to the cafeteria, where we got some food, sat down, and began chatting with people eating there.
Adjacent to my seat was an gentleman from Iraq studying engineering at a prestigious New York university. He asked me what I did for a living, and I shared that I had just graduated with a degree in science and had been working on studies using an electron microscope.
He pointed out that there was an microscopy facility at the institution – close to the engineering department, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He recommended that I consider applying for a job with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, saying that I was about to fly to Europe and, more critically, I didn’t have a US visa.
The following day I went out exploring, returning to the canteen that after dark. The man from Iraq came up to me and let me know that he had set up a meeting for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Because he had gone to the trouble, I attended the interview – but right away explained to my prospective employer that I was without a work permit, so I was probably wasting her time.
As is common in NYC – a place where opportunities abound – she declared: “We'll handle it. How soon can you begin?” I missed my plane to London.
I worked there for three years. An advantage of the role was that I was granted no-cost classes at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to earn a postgrad program in international relations.
I lost touch with him and I am unaware of his identity, but his incredible act of kindness transformed my future in multiple respects. I lacked the confidence or self-belief to reach out at an Ivy League university and ask for a job. Moreover, I had consistently hoped to take classes in another country, but could never have afforded it without that tuition waiver.
Perhaps most importantly, that gig at Columbia resulted in a role in Europe where I got to know my wonderful partner, with whom I am raising four amazing children. It was a total sliding doors moment. That kind stranger redirected my path in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
What is the Kindest Gesture a Stranger Has Ever Done for You?
From cheering you up to transforming your future, we would love to know chance encounters that have left a lasting impression.
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