In the closing decade of the 80s, I was beginning a backpacking trip to Europe with a friend. Since my friend was considering starting a postgraduate program in the Big Apple, we had planned a two-week stay there en route to London.
We arrived at the student accommodation, a large 10-storey building on the UWS named International House. Setting down our luggage, we went directly to the dining hall, where we picked up meals, found a table, and began chatting with fellow residents.
Sitting next to me was an individual of Iraqi origin studying engineering at a prestigious New York university. He asked me what I did for a living, and I shared that I had newly finished with a science degree and had been conducting research involving microscopic analysis.
He noted that there was an electron microscope unit at the institution – adjacent to the school of engineering, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He suggested that I should apply for a position with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, telling him that I was soon departing to Europe and, more critically, I lacked a US visa.
The following day I ventured out, going back to the cafeteria that after dark. The engineering student approached me and told me that he had set up a meeting for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Since he had gone to the trouble, I showed up for the discussion – but immediately told my host that I was without a work permit, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a city where opportunities abound – she declared: “We can make that happen. What's your start date?” I never got on that flight to London.
I was employed there for 36 months. One of the benefits was that I was granted free tuition at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to complete a postgrad program in international relations.
I never saw that student again and I don’t even know his name, but his remarkable generosity transformed my future in multiple respects. I would never have had the bravery or self-assurance to contact anyone at an Ivy League university and request employment. Additionally, I had always wanted to take classes in another country, but could never have afforded it without that educational benefit.
Perhaps most importantly, that gig at Columbia led me to a role in Europe where I got to know my beautiful French husband, with whom I now have four wonderful sons and daughters. It was a total sliding doors moment. That benevolent individual set me on a different course in life, and I’m forever grateful.
Can you recall the Nicest Thing a Stranger Has Ever Done for You?
Whether it's brightening your mood to altering your path, we are interested in chance encounters that have stuck with you.
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