During the closing decade of the 80s, I was embarking on a budget travel adventure to the European continent with a companion. Since my travel mate was considering enrolling in graduate studies in New York, we had planned a two-week stay there on the way to London.
We reached the graduate housing, a big multi-story edifice on the UWS named International House. Setting down our luggage, we headed straight to the dining hall, where we grabbed food, sat down, and started talking to people eating there.
Sitting next to me was an gentleman from Iraq studying engineering at an Ivy League institution. He wanted to know what I did, and I explained that I had recently completed my studies with a scientific background and had been performing experiments involving microscopic analysis.
He noted that there was an electron microscope unit at the university – right next door to the engineering faculty, which was why he was aware of it. He recommended that I should apply for a role with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, explaining that I was about to fly to Europe and, additionally, I didn’t have a US visa.
The next day I ventured out, coming back to the dining hall that night. The man from Iraq came up to me and told me that he had organized a discussion for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Because he had taken the effort, I attended the interview – but right away told my prospective employer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
In typical New York fashion – a metropolis where opportunities abound – she said: “We can make that happen. How soon can you begin?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I was employed there for a trio of years. A perk of the job was that I got no-cost classes at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to finish a graduate degree in global studies.
We didn't cross paths after that and I am unaware of his full name, but his selfless gesture changed my life in multiple respects. I would never have had the confidence or self-belief to approach someone at an Ivy League university and ask for a job. Additionally, I had long dreamed to pursue education overseas, but could never have afforded it without that educational benefit.
Perhaps most importantly, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a position in Switzerland where I encountered my wonderful partner, with whom I am raising four wonderful sons and daughters. This was a pivotal life event. That helpful person set me on a different course in life, and I’m always appreciative.
Can you recall the Most Generous Act a Stranger Has Shown for You?
From cheering you up to transforming your future, we are interested in chance encounters that have remained in your memory.
Feel free to recount your experience if you are 18 or over, without revealing your identity if you choose. The stories you tell are protected, and are intended for the aim of this article.
