During the final years of the 1980s, I was embarking on a budget travel adventure to the European continent with a friend. Since my companion was considering starting a postgraduate program in New York, 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 known as International House. After dropping our bags, we went directly to the cafeteria, where we grabbed food, took a seat, and engaged in conversation with other diners.
Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at a prestigious New York university. He inquired what I did, and I told him that I had just graduated with a degree in science and had been conducting research with electron microscopy.
He noted that there was an microscopy facility at Columbia University – adjacent to the engineering department, which was how he knew about it. He suggested that I consider applying for a role with them. I dismissed the idea, saying that I was soon departing to Europe and, even more importantly, I didn’t have a US visa.
The following day I toured the city, going back to the cafeteria that after dark. The Iraqi student approached me and informed me that he had organized a discussion for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Since he had gone to the trouble, I attended the interview – but straight off explained to my host that I didn’t have a visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a metropolis where opportunities abound – she said: “We can make that happen. When can you start?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I held that position for three years. One of the benefits was that I was granted complimentary education at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to earn a graduate degree in global studies.
We didn't cross paths after that and I don’t even know his identity, but his selfless gesture changed my life in so many ways. I didn't possess the confidence or self-belief to reach out at an prestigious college and seek a position. And, I had always wanted to study abroad, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that educational benefit.
Perhaps most importantly, that role at the university paved the way for a position in Switzerland where I got to know my beautiful French husband, with whom I am raising four amazing children. That encounter altered everything. That kind stranger set me on a different course in life, and I’m forever grateful.
What is the Nicest Thing a Someone You Didn't Know Has Once Performed for You?
From brightening your mood to transforming your future, we want to hear about unexpected interactions that have remained in your memory.
Feel free to recount your experience if you are 18 or over, anonymously if you wish. What you share are confidential, and are intended for the goal of sharing inspiring stories.
