During the closing decade of the 80s, I was embarking on a backpacking trip to Europe with a companion. Because my travel mate was considering pursuing a master’s degree in the Big Apple, we had planned a two-week stay there on the way to London.
We got to the postgrad residence, a sizeable multi-story edifice on the Manhattan's Upper West Side named International House. After dropping our bags, we made our way to the dining hall, where we picked up meals, found a table, and engaged in conversation with people eating there.
Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man pursuing an engineering degree at a prestigious New York university. He inquired what I did, and I shared that I had newly finished with a degree in science and had been conducting research involving microscopic analysis.
He mentioned that there was an microscopy facility at the university – close to the school of engineering, which was how he knew about it. He recommended that I ought to seek a job with them. I laughed it off, saying that I was about to fly to Europe and, more critically, I didn’t have a US visa.
The next day I ventured out, coming back to the dining hall that after dark. The man from Iraq walked over to me and let me know that he had organized a discussion for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Given that he had made the arrangement, I attended the interview – but right away told my interviewer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was probably wasting her time.
As is common in NYC – a city where opportunities abound – she responded: “We can make that happen. How soon can you begin?” I never got on that flight to London.
I was employed there for three years. One of the benefits was that I also received free tuition at Columbia, and I seized the chance to earn a postgrad program in international relations.
We didn't cross paths after that and I can't recall his name, but his selfless gesture altered my destiny in multiple respects. I didn't possess the bravery or self-belief to reach out at an elite institution and ask for a job. And, I had long dreamed to pursue education overseas, but could never have afforded it without that free tuition.
What's more, that role at the university led me to a job in Zurich where I met my beautiful French husband, with whom I now have four amazing children. This was a pivotal life event. That benevolent individual set me on a different course in life, and I’m always appreciative.
Can you recall the Nicest Thing a Stranger Has Ever Done for You?
From making your day to altering your path, we are interested in random meetings that have remained in your memory.
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