During the late 1980s, I was beginning a backpacking trip to the European continent with a friend. Because my companion was exploring enrolling in graduate studies in New York, we had planned a fortnight visit there on the way to London.
We arrived at the graduate housing, a sizeable 10-storey building on the Manhattan's Upper West Side named International House. Setting down our luggage, we went directly to the canteen, where we got some food, took a seat, and began chatting with other diners.
Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man studying engineering at a prestigious New York university. He wanted to know what I my profession was, and I shared that I had just graduated with a scientific background and had been performing experiments with electron microscopy.
He mentioned that there was an microscopy facility at the institution – right next door to the engineering department, which was how he knew about it. He suggested that I ought to seek a job with them. I dismissed the idea, saying that I was soon departing to Europe and, additionally, I did not possess a US visa.
A day later I ventured out, going back to the cafeteria that after dark. The engineering student approached me and informed me that he had arranged an interview for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Because he had gone to the trouble, I attended the interview – but right away explained to my interviewer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
In typical New York fashion – a city where anything feels possible – she responded: “We can make that happen. How soon can you begin?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I held that position for three years. An advantage of the role was that I got no-cost classes at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to complete a master’s of international affairs.
I never saw that student again and I don’t even know his name, but his remarkable generosity altered my destiny in so many ways. I would never have had the bravery or self-belief to reach out at an elite institution and request employment. Moreover, I had long dreamed to study abroad, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that educational benefit.
What's more, that gig at Columbia led me to a position in Switzerland where I met my handsome spouse from France, with whom I now have four wonderful sons and daughters. This was a pivotal life event. That benevolent individual set me on a different course in life, and I’m forever grateful.
Can you recall the Nicest Thing a Someone You Didn't Know Has Ever Done for You?
Whether it's brightening your mood to transforming your future, we would love to know random meetings that have stuck with you.
Feel free to recount your experience if you are 18 or over, without revealing your identity if you prefer. Your responses are secure, and are solely for the purpose of this feature.
