During the final years of the 1980s, I was embarking on a low-cost journey to the European continent with a friend. Because my companion was considering starting a postgraduate program in New York, we had planned a fortnight visit there before heading to London.
We got to the student accommodation, a large multi-story edifice on the UWS named International House. Once we unpacked, we headed straight to the canteen, 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 enrolled in an engineering program at Columbia University. He inquired what I did for a living, and I shared that I had just graduated with a scientific background and had been performing experiments involving microscopic analysis.
He pointed out that there was an research lab at Columbia University – right next door to the school of engineering, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He suggested that I ought to seek a job with them. I laughed it off, telling him that I was about to fly to Europe and, more critically, I did not possess a US visa.
The following day I toured the city, going back to the cafeteria that night. The engineering 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 taken the effort, I showed up for the discussion – but right away explained to my host that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
In typical New York fashion – a place where anything feels possible – she said: “That can be arranged. What's your start date?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I worked there for a trio of years. An advantage of the role was that I was granted free tuition at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to finish a master’s of international affairs.
We didn't cross paths after that and I can't recall his name, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in multiple respects. I didn't possess the courage or self-belief to reach out at an Ivy League university and seek a position. Additionally, I had consistently hoped to study abroad, but lacked the financial means without that educational benefit.
Perhaps most importantly, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a job in Zurich where I got to know my beautiful French husband, with whom I currently share four amazing children. That encounter altered everything. That benevolent individual changed my trajectory in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
Can you recall the Kindest Gesture a Someone You Didn't Know Has Ever Done for You?
From making your day to altering your path, we are interested in chance encounters that have left a lasting impression.
Feel free to recount your experience if you are of legal age, without revealing your identity if you prefer. The stories you tell are confidential, and are solely for the purpose of this feature.
