During the final years of the 1980s, I set out on a budget travel adventure to Europe with a friend. Since my travel mate was interested in pursuing a master’s degree in NYC, we had arranged a 14-day stopover there en route to London.
We arrived at the student accommodation, a big 10-storey building on the Upper West Side known as International House. Once we unpacked, we went directly to the cafeteria, where we picked up meals, took a seat, and began chatting with fellow residents.
Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man studying engineering at a prestigious New York university. He wanted to know what I did for a living, and I shared that I had just graduated with a science degree and had been performing experiments using an electron microscope.
He mentioned that there was an electron microscope unit at the university – close to the engineering department, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He proposed that I ought to seek a position with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, telling him that I was heading off to Europe and, additionally, I lacked a US visa.
A day later I went out exploring, going back to the cafeteria that evening. The Iraqi student walked over to me and informed me that he had arranged an interview 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 immediately told my prospective employer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
As is common in NYC – a metropolis where everything seems achievable – she declared: “That can be arranged. What's your start date?” I missed my plane to London.
I was employed there for three years. One of the benefits was that I got free tuition at Columbia, and I seized the chance to earn a master’s of international affairs.
We didn't cross paths after that and I can't recall his full name, but his incredible act of kindness altered my destiny in multiple respects. I lacked the confidence or self-assurance to reach out at an elite institution and seek a position. Additionally, I had consistently hoped to pursue education overseas, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that free tuition.
What's more, that role at the university paved the way for a position in Switzerland where I got to know my handsome spouse from France, with whom I now have four amazing children. It was a total sliding doors moment. That kind stranger set me on a different course in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
Can you recall the Kindest Gesture a Someone You Didn't Know Has Shown for You?
From brightening your mood to altering your path, we are interested in unexpected interactions that have stuck with you.
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