In the closing decade of the 80s, I was embarking on a budget travel adventure to Europe with a friend. Because my friend was considering enrolling in graduate studies in NYC, we had booked a two-week stay there before heading to London.
We reached the student accommodation, a large ten-floor structure on the UWS named International House. Once we unpacked, we headed straight to the cafeteria, where we picked up meals, found a table, and began chatting with fellow residents.
Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at a prestigious New York university. He wanted to know what I did, and I shared that I had just graduated with a scientific background and had been working on studies with electron microscopy.
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 should apply for a role with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, explaining that I was about to fly to Europe and, additionally, I didn’t have a US visa.
The next day I ventured out, coming back to the dining hall that night. The man from Iraq walked over to me and informed me that he had arranged an interview for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Given that he had made the arrangement, I went to the meeting – but right away informed my prospective employer that I was without a work permit, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
In typical New York fashion – a city where opportunities abound – she said: “We'll handle it. When can you start?” I never got on that flight to London.
I was employed there for a trio of years. A perk of the job was that I was granted free tuition at Columbia, and I seized the chance to finish a postgrad program in international relations.
I lost touch with him and I don’t even know his identity, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in multiple respects. I didn't possess the confidence or self-belief to reach out at an Ivy League university and ask for a job. Additionally, I had always wanted to take classes in another country, but lacked the financial means without that free tuition.
Critically, that job in New York led me to a role in Europe where I met my handsome spouse from France, with whom I currently share four amazing children. It was a total sliding doors moment. That benevolent individual redirected my path in life, and I’m forever grateful.
What is the Kindest Gesture a Stranger Has Ever Done for You?
From brightening your mood to changing your life, we want to hear about chance encounters that have stuck with you.
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