During the final years of the 1980s, I set out on a backpacking trip to the European continent with a friend. Since my companion was exploring enrolling in graduate studies in New York, we had planned a 14-day stopover there before heading to London.
We reached the postgrad residence, a big 10-storey building on the Manhattan's Upper West Side called International House. Once we unpacked, we made our way to the cafeteria, where we grabbed food, took a seat, and engaged in conversation with people eating there.
Adjacent to my seat was an individual of Iraqi origin studying engineering at an Ivy League institution. He asked me what I did for a living, and I told him that I had just graduated with a science degree and had been performing experiments involving microscopic analysis.
He mentioned that there was an research lab at the institution – adjacent to the engineering department, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He proposed that I should apply for a role with them. I laughed it off, telling him that I was soon departing to Europe and, more critically, I lacked a US visa.
The next day I went out exploring, going back to the cafeteria that night. The engineering student approached me and informed me that he had arranged an interview for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Because he had taken the effort, I attended the interview – but straight off informed my interviewer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a city where everything seems achievable – she responded: “We'll handle it. How soon can you begin?” I missed my plane to London.
I was employed there for three years. An advantage of the role was that I was granted no-cost classes at Columbia, and I seized the chance to finish a postgrad program in international relations.
We didn't cross paths after that and I can't recall his identity, but his remarkable generosity transformed my future in multiple respects. I would never have had the bravery or self-assurance to approach someone at an elite institution and ask for a job. Moreover, I had consistently hoped to take classes in another country, but lacked the financial means without that free tuition.
Perhaps most importantly, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a role in Europe where I encountered my handsome spouse from France, with whom I am raising four amazing children. This was a pivotal life event. That kind stranger changed my trajectory in life, and I’m always appreciative.
What is the Kindest Gesture a Stranger Has Once Performed for You?
From cheering you up to altering your path, we are interested in random meetings that have stuck with you.
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