In the late 1980s, I was beginning a backpacking trip to Europe with a friend. Since my travel mate was interested in pursuing a master’s degree in NYC, we had booked a fortnight visit there before heading to London.
We got to the student accommodation, a sizeable 10-storey building on the UWS called International House. Setting down our luggage, we made our way to the dining hall, where we grabbed food, found a table, and engaged in conversation with fellow residents.
Beside me was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at a prestigious New York university. He wanted to know what I did for a living, and I explained that I had just graduated with a degree in science and had been working on studies using an electron microscope.
He noted that there was an research lab at the institution – adjacent to the school of engineering, which was how he knew about it. He suggested 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 ventured out, coming back to the dining hall that evening. The Iraqi student approached me and let me know that he had organized a discussion for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Since he had gone to the trouble, I attended the interview – but immediately told my interviewer that I was without a work permit, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
As is common in NYC – a place where opportunities abound – she responded: “We'll handle it. When can you start?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I worked there for three years. A perk of the job was that I was granted complimentary education at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to finish a master’s of international affairs.
We didn't cross paths after that and I don’t even know his full name, but his incredible act of kindness transformed my future in so many ways. I would never have had the confidence or self-belief to approach someone at an Ivy League university and seek a position. Additionally, I had long dreamed to take classes in another country, but could never have afforded it without that educational benefit.
What's more, that role at the university led me to a role in Europe where I met my handsome spouse from France, with whom I now have a family of four kids. This was a pivotal life event. That benevolent individual changed my trajectory in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
Can you recall the Nicest Thing a Someone You Didn't Know Has Once Performed for You?
Whether it's cheering you up to altering your path, we want to hear about random meetings that have left a lasting impression.
Feel free to recount your experience if you are of legal age, keeping your details private if you choose. The stories you tell are protected, and are solely for the purpose of this feature.
