During the closing decade of the 80s, I was embarking on a backpacking trip to the European continent with a friend. Because my companion was interested in starting a postgraduate program in New York, we had planned a two-week stay there en route to London.
We arrived at the graduate housing, a large 10-storey building on the UWS named International House. Setting down our luggage, we went directly to the canteen, where we got some food, found a table, and engaged in conversation with other diners.
Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man pursuing an engineering degree at an Ivy League institution. He wanted to know what I did for a living, 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 noted that there was an microscopy facility at Columbia University – close to the school of engineering, which was why he was aware of it. He suggested that I should apply for a job with them. I dismissed the idea, explaining that I was soon departing to Europe and, more critically, I didn’t have a US visa.
The next day I toured the city, coming back to the dining hall that evening. The engineering student walked over to me and informed me that he had arranged an interview for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Since he had gone to the trouble, I went to the meeting – but right away informed my interviewer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was unable to accept the role.
In typical New York fashion – a metropolis where opportunities abound – she said: “We can make that happen. What's your start date?” I never got on that flight to London.
I held that position for three years. A perk of the job was that I got free tuition at Columbia, and I seized the chance to earn a master’s of international affairs.
I lost touch with him and I am unaware of his identity, but his incredible act of kindness transformed my future in so many ways. I lacked the courage or nerve to contact anyone at an prestigious college and request employment. And, I had consistently hoped to take classes in another country, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that educational benefit.
Perhaps most importantly, that role at the university resulted in a role in Europe where I encountered my wonderful partner, with whom I am raising a family of four kids. It was a total sliding doors moment. That kind stranger set me on a different course in life, and I’m always appreciative.
Can you recall the Most Generous Act a Someone You Didn't Know Has Ever Done for You?
Whether it's cheering you up to altering your path, we would love to know chance encounters that have stuck with you.
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