In the closing decade of the 80s, I set out on a budget travel adventure to Europe with a companion. Because my friend was considering pursuing a master’s degree in NYC, we had planned a fortnight visit there before heading to London.
We got to the graduate housing, a large 10-storey building on the Upper West Side known as International House. After dropping our bags, we made our way to the dining hall, where we grabbed food, sat down, and started talking to people eating there.
Sitting next to me was an gentleman from Iraq studying engineering at an Ivy League institution. He inquired what I did for a living, and I shared that I had recently completed my studies with a science degree and had been conducting research using an electron microscope.
He mentioned that there was an microscopy facility at Columbia University – right next door to the engineering faculty, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He proposed that I consider applying for a job with them. I dismissed the idea, saying that I was about to fly to Europe and, additionally, I didn’t have a US visa.
The next day I went out exploring, coming back to the dining hall that after dark. The man from Iraq approached me and told me that he had arranged an interview for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Since he had taken the effort, I attended the interview – but straight off explained to my interviewer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was probably wasting her time.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a place where opportunities abound – she declared: “We can make that happen. What's your start date?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I held that position for three years. A perk of the job was that I got complimentary education at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to earn a postgrad program in international relations.
I never saw that student again and I can't recall his full name, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in numerous aspects. I didn't possess the courage or self-assurance to approach someone at an elite institution and request employment. And, I had always wanted to take classes in another country, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that tuition waiver.
Perhaps most importantly, that role at the university paved the way for a role in Europe where I encountered my beautiful French husband, with whom I currently share four wonderful sons and daughters. It was a total sliding doors moment. That kind stranger redirected my path in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
What is the Nicest Thing a Stranger Has Ever Done for You?
Whether it's cheering you up to transforming your future, we are interested in unexpected interactions that have left a lasting impression.
Feel free to recount your experience if you are 18 or over, without revealing your identity if you prefer. What you share are confidential, and are solely for the purpose of this feature.
