In the final years of the 1980s, I set out on a low-cost journey to the European continent with a travel partner. Since my companion was exploring enrolling in graduate studies in New York, we had planned a two-week stay there on the way to London.
We arrived at the postgrad residence, a sizeable 10-storey building on the UWS called International House. After dropping our bags, we headed straight to the cafeteria, where we grabbed food, took a seat, and began chatting with fellow residents.
Beside me was an Iraqi man studying engineering at an Ivy League institution. He inquired what I did for a living, and I shared that I had newly finished with a scientific background and had been working on studies with electron microscopy.
He mentioned that there was an electron microscope unit at the institution – adjacent to the engineering department, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He proposed that I ought to seek a role with them. I dismissed the idea, saying that I was heading off to Europe and, additionally, I didn’t have a US visa.
The following day I went out exploring, going back to the cafeteria that evening. The man from Iraq came up to me and let me know that he had arranged an interview for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Since he had gone to the trouble, I attended the interview – but immediately explained to my prospective employer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a city where opportunities abound – she responded: “We can make that happen. What's your start date?” I missed my plane to London.
I worked there for 36 months. One of the benefits was that I got no-cost classes at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to earn a graduate degree in global studies.
We didn't cross paths after that and I am unaware of his full name, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in so many ways. I lacked the courage or nerve to contact anyone at an elite institution and ask for a job. And, I had long dreamed to study abroad, but could never have afforded it without that educational benefit.
Critically, that gig at Columbia resulted in a job in Zurich where I encountered my beautiful French husband, with whom I am raising four wonderful sons and daughters. That encounter altered everything. That kind stranger set me on a different course in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
Can you recall the Most Generous Act a Someone You Didn't Know Has Ever Done for You?
From brightening your mood to changing your life, we would love to know random meetings that have remained in your memory.
Feel free to recount your experience if you are of legal age, without revealing your identity if you choose. The stories you tell are confidential, and are solely for the aim of this article.
