During the late 1980s, I set out on a backpacking trip to the European continent with a friend. Since my companion was interested in pursuing a master’s degree in NYC, we had arranged a 14-day stopover there on the way to London.
We arrived at the student accommodation, a large 10-storey building on the UWS called International House. Once we unpacked, we headed straight to the cafeteria, where we got some food, took a seat, and began chatting with other diners.
Adjacent to my seat was an gentleman from Iraq enrolled in an engineering program at Columbia University. He inquired what I did for a living, and I explained that I had newly finished with a scientific background and had been performing experiments using an electron microscope.
He noted that there was an electron microscope unit at the institution – adjacent to the school of engineering, which was why he was aware of it. He recommended that I should apply for a position with them. I laughed it off, explaining that I was soon departing to Europe and, more critically, I lacked a US visa.
The next day I toured the city, returning to the canteen that after dark. The engineering student came up to me and told me that he had organized a discussion for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Since he had made the arrangement, I attended the interview – but straight off informed my interviewer that I was without a work permit, so I was probably wasting her time.
In typical New York fashion – a metropolis where anything feels possible – she said: “That can be arranged. How soon can you begin?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I worked there for 36 months. An advantage of the role was that I also received free tuition at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to complete a graduate degree in global studies.
We didn't cross paths after that and I am unaware of his name, but his remarkable generosity altered my destiny in multiple respects. I didn't possess the confidence or self-assurance to reach out at an prestigious college and ask for a job. Moreover, I had consistently hoped to study abroad, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that free tuition.
Critically, that job in New York led me to a role in Europe where I met my wonderful partner, with whom I currently share a family of four kids. This was a pivotal life event. That kind stranger redirected my path in life, and I’m always appreciative.
Can you recall the Most Generous Act a Stranger Has Once Performed for You?
From making your day to changing your life, we would love to know chance encounters that have remained in your memory.
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