In the late 1980s, I was embarking on a low-cost journey to the European continent with a companion. Because my travel mate was exploring starting a postgraduate program in the Big Apple, we had planned a two-week stay there before heading to London.
We reached the graduate housing, a big 10-storey building on the Upper West Side called International House. After dropping our bags, we headed straight to the canteen, where we grabbed food, sat down, and started talking to other diners.
Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man pursuing an engineering degree at an Ivy League institution. He wanted to know what I did for a living, and I explained that I had recently completed my studies with a science degree and had been performing experiments involving microscopic analysis.
He noted that there was an microscopy facility at the university – adjacent to the school of engineering, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He proposed that I should apply for a job with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, telling him that I was soon departing to Europe and, more critically, I did not possess a US visa.
The following day I ventured out, going back to the cafeteria that after dark. The engineering student walked over to me and informed me that he had organized a discussion for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Given that he had gone to the trouble, I showed up for the discussion – but right away told my host that I was without a work permit, so I was probably wasting her time.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a metropolis where anything feels possible – she declared: “We can make that happen. What's your start date?” I missed my plane to London.
I held that position for three years. A perk of the job was that I got free tuition at Columbia, and I seized the chance to earn a postgrad program in international relations.
I lost touch with him and I am unaware of his full name, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in numerous aspects. I would never have had the confidence or self-belief to reach out at an prestigious college and ask for a job. And, I had consistently hoped to take classes in another country, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that free tuition.
Critically, that role at the university led me to a job in Zurich where I met my wonderful partner, with whom I am raising four wonderful sons and daughters. That encounter altered everything. That benevolent individual redirected my path in life, and I’m forever grateful.
Can you recall the Nicest Thing a Stranger Has Once Performed for You?
Whether it's brightening your mood to changing your life, we would love to know random meetings that have remained in your memory.
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