In the closing decade of the 80s, I was embarking on a budget travel adventure to Europe with a companion. Because my friend was considering starting a postgraduate program in New York, we had booked a 14-day stopover there on the way to London.
We arrived at the postgrad residence, a large ten-floor structure on the Upper West Side known as International House. Once we unpacked, we headed straight to the cafeteria, where we grabbed food, found a table, and engaged in conversation with fellow residents.
Beside me was an Iraqi man studying engineering at an Ivy League institution. He asked me what I my profession was, and I explained that I had recently completed my studies with a science degree and had been working on studies involving microscopic analysis.
He noted that there was an microscopy facility at the university – adjacent to the school of engineering, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He suggested that I ought to seek a position with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, explaining that I was about to fly to Europe and, more critically, I didn’t have a US visa.
The next day I toured the city, going back to the cafeteria that evening. The man from Iraq walked over to me and told me that he had organized a discussion for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Given that he had gone to the trouble, I showed up for the discussion – but immediately explained to my host that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was probably wasting her time.
In typical New York fashion – a metropolis where opportunities abound – she said: “We'll handle it. How soon can you begin?” I missed my plane to London.
I was employed there for three years. A perk of the job was that I got complimentary education at Columbia, and I took advantage to complete a postgrad program in international relations.
I lost touch with him and I am unaware of his full name, but his remarkable generosity transformed my future in so many ways. I lacked the bravery or self-assurance to approach someone at an elite institution and ask for a job. Additionally, I had long dreamed to pursue education overseas, but could never have afforded it without that tuition waiver.
Perhaps most importantly, that gig at Columbia resulted in a role in Europe where I encountered my handsome spouse from France, with whom I currently share four amazing children. It was a total sliding doors moment. That kind stranger changed my trajectory in life, and I’m always appreciative.
Can you recall the Nicest Thing a Stranger Has Shown for You?
From making your day to transforming your future, we are interested in chance encounters that have left a lasting impression.
Feel free to recount your experience if you are of legal age, keeping your details private if you prefer. What you share are confidential, and are solely for the goal of sharing inspiring stories.
