During the final years of the 1980s, I set out on a low-cost journey to Europe with a friend. Because my friend was considering starting a postgraduate program in New York, we had planned a fortnight visit there en route to London.
We arrived at the postgrad residence, a sizeable ten-floor structure on the Upper West Side known as International House. Setting down our luggage, we headed straight to the dining hall, where we grabbed food, sat down, and started talking to fellow residents.
Adjacent to my seat was an individual of Iraqi origin pursuing an engineering degree at an Ivy League institution. He asked me what I my profession was, and I explained that I had just graduated with a science degree and had been working on studies with electron microscopy.
He mentioned that there was an research lab at the institution – close to the engineering department, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He proposed that I ought to seek a job with them. I dismissed the idea, telling him that I was soon departing to Europe and, more critically, I lacked a US visa.
The next day I toured the city, going back to the cafeteria that night. The Iraqi student approached me and let me know 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 attended the interview – but straight off explained to my host that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was unable to accept the role.
In typical New York fashion – a metropolis where opportunities abound – she responded: “That can be arranged. How soon can you begin?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I held that position for three years. A perk of the job was that I also received complimentary education at Columbia, and I seized the chance to finish a postgrad program in international relations.
We didn't cross paths after that and I don’t even know his name, but his remarkable generosity altered my destiny in numerous aspects. I would never have had the confidence or self-assurance to approach someone at an elite institution and ask for a job. Additionally, I had always wanted to study abroad, but could never have afforded it without that free tuition.
What's more, that job in New York paved the way for a position in Switzerland where I encountered my handsome spouse from France, with whom I currently share four amazing children. That encounter altered everything. That benevolent individual set me on a different course in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
What is the Kindest Gesture a Stranger Has Shown for You?
Whether it's brightening your mood to altering your path, we are interested in chance encounters that have stuck with you.
Please share your story if you are an adult, anonymously if you wish. Your responses are protected, and are solely for the goal of sharing inspiring stories.
