During the final years of the 1980s, I was embarking on a budget travel adventure to Europe with a companion. Because my friend was considering pursuing a master’s degree in the Big Apple, we had planned a fortnight visit there en route to London.
We reached the student accommodation, a big ten-floor structure on the Manhattan's Upper West Side named International House. Setting down our luggage, we headed straight to the canteen, where we got some food, sat down, and began chatting with other diners.
Sitting next to me was an individual of Iraqi origin enrolled in an engineering program at Columbia University. He wanted to know what I did for a living, and I shared that I had just graduated with a scientific background and had been performing experiments using an electron microscope.
He noted that there was an electron microscope unit at Columbia University – close to the engineering department, which was why he was aware of it. He proposed that I ought to seek a job with them. I laughed it off, telling him that I was soon departing to Europe and, more critically, I lacked a US visa.
The following day I toured the city, coming back to the dining hall that after dark. The man from Iraq walked over to me and informed me that he had set up a meeting for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Because he had taken the effort, I showed up for the discussion – but right away explained to my interviewer that I was without a work permit, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
As is common in NYC – a metropolis where anything feels possible – she said: “We'll handle it. What's your start date?” I never got on that flight to London.
I was employed there for three years. A perk of the job was that I also received free tuition at Columbia, and I seized the chance to earn a graduate degree in global studies.
I never saw that student again and I don’t even know his identity, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in so many ways. I didn't possess the bravery or nerve to approach someone at an prestigious college and seek a position. And, I had long dreamed to study abroad, but lacked the financial means without that educational benefit.
What's more, that role at the university led me to a position in Switzerland where I encountered my handsome spouse from France, with whom I am raising four amazing children. This was a pivotal life event. That kind stranger redirected my path in life, and I’m always appreciative.
What is the Nicest Thing a Someone You Didn't Know Has Shown for You?
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