In the late 1980s, I was embarking on a low-cost journey to the European continent with a friend. Since my travel mate was interested in pursuing a master’s degree in NYC, we had arranged a fortnight visit there before heading to London.
We arrived at the student accommodation, a big ten-floor structure on the Manhattan's Upper West Side named International House. After dropping our bags, we made our way to the cafeteria, where we picked up meals, sat down, and started talking to people eating there.
Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man pursuing an engineering degree at an Ivy League institution. He asked me what I my profession was, and I told him that I had recently completed my studies with a degree in science and had been performing experiments using an electron microscope.
He mentioned that there was an microscopy facility at Columbia University – right next door to the engineering faculty, which was why he was aware of it. He suggested that I consider applying for a position with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, explaining that I was soon departing to Europe and, more critically, I lacked a US visa.
A day later I toured the city, returning to the canteen that after dark. The engineering student came up to me and informed me that he had set up a meeting for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Because he had made the arrangement, I attended the interview – but immediately informed my prospective employer that I was without a work permit, so I was unable to accept the role.
In typical New York fashion – a place where everything seems achievable – she declared: “That can be arranged. When can you start?” I never got on that flight to London.
I was employed there for three years. One of the benefits was that I was granted no-cost classes at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to complete a master’s of international affairs.
I lost touch with him and I am unaware of his identity, but his remarkable generosity altered my destiny in numerous aspects. I didn't possess the courage or nerve to contact anyone at an elite institution and ask for a job. Moreover, I had long dreamed to study abroad, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that free tuition.
Critically, that gig at Columbia led me to a role in Europe where I encountered my wonderful partner, with whom I currently share a family of four kids. That encounter altered everything. That benevolent individual changed my trajectory in life, and I’m always appreciative.
Can you recall the Kindest Gesture a Unknown Person Has Once Performed for You?
From cheering you up to changing your life, we are interested in unexpected interactions that have left a lasting impression.
We invite you to tell us if you are of legal age, without revealing your identity if you choose. The stories you tell are confidential, and are solely for the goal of sharing inspiring stories.
