During the closing decade of the 80s, I was beginning a low-cost journey to Europe with a companion. Since my travel mate was interested in enrolling in graduate studies in the Big Apple, we had arranged a two-week stay there on the way to London.
We got to the student accommodation, a large multi-story edifice on the Upper West Side called International House. Setting down our luggage, we went directly to the dining hall, where we grabbed food, found a table, and started talking to fellow residents.
Beside me was an individual of Iraqi origin enrolled in an engineering program at a prestigious New York university. He asked me what I my profession was, and I explained that I had just graduated with a degree in science and had been performing experiments with electron microscopy.
He pointed out that there was an research lab at the university – right next door to the engineering department, which was why he was aware of it. He proposed that I should apply for a role with them. I dismissed the idea, explaining that I was heading off to Europe and, more critically, I lacked a US visa.
A day later I toured the city, coming back to the dining hall that after dark. The Iraqi student came up to me and informed me that he had arranged an interview for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Since he had made the arrangement, I attended the interview – but immediately told my prospective employer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was unable to accept the role.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a metropolis where anything feels possible – she declared: “That can be arranged. What's your start date?” I never got on that flight to London.
I was employed there for 36 months. An advantage of the role was that I was granted free tuition at Columbia, and I used the opportunity 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 remarkable generosity changed my life in so many ways. I didn't possess the confidence or self-belief to reach out at an Ivy League university and seek a position. And, I had long dreamed to study abroad, but could never have afforded it without that tuition waiver.
What's more, that job in New York led me to a position in Switzerland where I encountered my beautiful French husband, 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 eternally thankful.
Can you recall the Kindest Gesture a Stranger Has Once Performed for You?
From brightening your mood to altering your path, we would love to know unexpected interactions that have remained in your memory.
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