In the closing decade of the 80s, I was beginning a backpacking trip to Europe with a companion. Because my companion was considering enrolling in graduate studies in the Big Apple, we had booked a 14-day stopover there en route to London.
We got to the postgrad residence, a sizeable ten-floor structure on the Manhattan's Upper West Side known as International House. After dropping our bags, we went directly 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 individual of Iraqi origin studying engineering at Columbia University. He asked me what I did, and I explained that I had just graduated with a scientific background and had been performing experiments with electron microscopy.
He noted that there was an microscopy facility at the university – close to the engineering faculty, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He suggested that I consider applying for a job with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, saying that I was about to fly to Europe and, more critically, I did not possess a US visa.
The next day I ventured out, going back to the cafeteria that after dark. The Iraqi student walked over to me and let me know that he had arranged an interview for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Since he had gone to the trouble, I attended the interview – but immediately informed my prospective employer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was probably wasting her time.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a city where anything feels possible – she declared: “We'll handle it. What's your start date?” I never got on that flight to London.
I held that position for 36 months. An advantage of the role was that I got complimentary education at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to earn a graduate degree in global studies.
I lost touch with him and I don’t even know his name, but his selfless gesture altered my destiny in numerous aspects. I would never have had the bravery or nerve to approach someone at an Ivy League university and ask for a job. Moreover, I had consistently hoped to study abroad, but lacked the financial means without that tuition waiver.
Critically, that job in New York paved the way for a job in Zurich where I met my handsome spouse from France, with whom I currently share a family of four kids. That encounter altered everything. That benevolent individual set me on a different course in life, and I’m forever grateful.
What is the Most Generous Act a Stranger Has Shown for You?
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