In the closing decade of the 80s, I set out on a backpacking trip to the European continent with a companion. Since my friend was considering starting a postgraduate program in NYC, we had arranged a 14-day stopover there before heading to London.
We got to the graduate housing, a sizeable ten-floor structure on the Upper West Side called International House. After dropping our bags, we went directly to the cafeteria, where we got some food, took a seat, and began chatting with other diners.
Beside me was an Iraqi man studying engineering at a prestigious New York university. He asked me what I did, and I explained that I had recently completed my studies with a scientific background and had been working on studies using an electron microscope.
He pointed out that there was an microscopy facility at the 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 chuckled at the suggestion, telling him that I was about to fly to Europe and, even more importantly, I didn’t have a US visa.
The next day I ventured out, coming back to the dining hall that after dark. The engineering student came up to me and informed me that he had organized a discussion for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Because he had taken the effort, I showed up for the discussion – but right away told my interviewer that I was without a work permit, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
In typical New York fashion – a metropolis where everything seems achievable – she said: “We'll handle it. What's your start date?” I missed my plane to London.
I held that position for a trio of years. An advantage of the role was that I was granted complimentary education at Columbia, and I seized the chance to finish a graduate degree in global studies.
We didn't cross paths after that and I am unaware of his identity, but his selfless gesture altered my destiny in multiple respects. I would never have had the confidence or self-assurance to approach someone at an prestigious college and ask for a job. Moreover, I had consistently hoped to study abroad, but lacked the financial means without that free tuition.
Critically, that job in New York paved the way for a position in Switzerland where I got to know my beautiful French husband, with whom I am raising four wonderful sons and daughters. It was a total sliding doors moment. That kind stranger changed my trajectory in life, and I’m always appreciative.
Can you recall the Most Generous Act a Stranger Has Shown for You?
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