In the late 1980s, I was beginning a backpacking trip to Europe with a companion. Because my companion was considering starting a postgraduate program in the Big Apple, we had booked a two-week stay there on the way to London.
We got to the graduate housing, a large ten-floor structure on the Manhattan's Upper West Side named International House. After dropping our bags, we headed straight to the dining hall, where we picked up meals, found a table, and started talking to people eating there.
Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man studying engineering at a prestigious New York university. He wanted to know what I did for a living, and I explained that I had recently completed my studies with a science degree and had been performing experiments with electron microscopy.
He pointed out that there was an research lab at the institution – right next door to the engineering faculty, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He suggested that I consider applying for a role with them. I laughed it off, telling him that I was heading off to Europe and, even more importantly, I lacked a US visa.
The following day I ventured out, coming back to the dining hall that after dark. The man from Iraq approached me and let me know that he had organized a discussion for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Because he had gone to the trouble, I went to the meeting – but right away informed my host that I was without a work permit, so I was unable to accept the role.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a city where opportunities abound – she said: “We can make that happen. What's your start date?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I worked there for a trio of years. One of the benefits was that I got no-cost classes at Columbia, and I seized the chance to complete a graduate degree in global studies.
I lost touch with him and I am unaware of his full name, but his incredible act of kindness changed my life in multiple respects. I lacked the confidence or self-assurance to approach someone at an Ivy League university and ask for a job. And, I had long dreamed to study abroad, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that free tuition.
What's more, that gig at Columbia led me to a role in Europe where I got to know my beautiful French husband, with whom I now have four wonderful sons and daughters. That encounter altered everything. That helpful person set me on a different course in life, and I’m forever grateful.
What is the Nicest Thing a Unknown Person Has Ever Done for You?
From brightening your mood to altering your path, we would love to know random meetings that have stuck with you.
We invite you to tell us if you are an adult, without revealing your identity if you wish. The stories you tell are confidential, and are intended for the purpose of this feature.
