During the final years of the 1980s, I was embarking on a low-cost journey to the European continent with a friend. Because my travel mate was considering enrolling in graduate studies in NYC, we had booked a fortnight visit there on the way to London.
We reached the student accommodation, a big ten-floor structure on the Upper West Side called International House. Once we unpacked, we made our way to the dining hall, where we picked up meals, sat down, and engaged in conversation with people eating there.
Adjacent to my seat was an gentleman from Iraq pursuing an engineering degree at a prestigious New York university. He asked me what I did for a living, and I explained that I had just graduated with a degree in science and had been performing experiments using an electron microscope.
He noted that there was an microscopy facility at Columbia University – adjacent to the school of engineering, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He suggested that I consider applying for a role with them. I dismissed the idea, telling him that I was heading off to Europe and, more critically, I did not possess a US visa.
The following day I went out exploring, coming back to the dining hall that evening. The Iraqi student came up to me and informed me that he had organized a discussion for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Given that he had made the arrangement, I went to the meeting – but immediately informed my interviewer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was unable to accept the role.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a metropolis where everything seems achievable – she declared: “We can make that happen. What's your start date?” I never got on that flight to London.
I held that position for three years. An advantage of the role was that I got complimentary education at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to finish a master’s of international affairs.
I lost touch with him and I can't recall his identity, but his incredible act of kindness transformed my future in so many ways. I didn't possess the courage or self-belief to reach out at an Ivy League university and request employment. Additionally, I had long dreamed to study abroad, but lacked the financial means without that tuition waiver.
What's more, that job in New York resulted in a position in Switzerland where I met my wonderful partner, with whom I currently share four wonderful sons and daughters. That encounter altered everything. That kind stranger changed my trajectory in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
Tell us about the Kindest Gesture a Someone You Didn't Know Has Shown for You?
Whether it's making your day to altering your path, we would love to know unexpected interactions that have left a lasting impression.
We invite you to tell us if you are of legal age, without revealing your identity if you prefer. Your responses are protected, and will only be used the aim of this article.
