During the final years of the 1980s, I was embarking on a backpacking trip to Europe with a friend. Because my companion was considering enrolling in graduate studies in the Big Apple, we had arranged a 14-day stopover there en route to London.
We got to the student accommodation, a big multi-story edifice on the UWS called International House. Setting down our luggage, we headed straight to the canteen, where we got some food, found a table, and began chatting with other diners.
Adjacent to my seat was an gentleman from Iraq enrolled in an engineering program at Columbia University. He inquired what I did, and I told him that I had recently completed my studies with a degree in science and had been conducting research involving microscopic analysis.
He pointed out that there was an research lab at the institution – close to the engineering faculty, which was how he knew about it. He recommended that I should apply for a position with them. I dismissed the idea, saying that I was soon departing to Europe and, additionally, I lacked a US visa.
A day later I went out exploring, returning to the canteen that after dark. The Iraqi student came up to me and told me that he had arranged an interview for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Because he had made the arrangement, I attended the interview – but straight off told my prospective employer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was probably wasting her time.
As is common in NYC – a metropolis where opportunities abound – she responded: “We'll handle it. How soon can you begin?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I was employed there for 36 months. An advantage of the role was that I got no-cost classes at Columbia, and I took advantage to finish a graduate degree in global studies.
I never saw that student again and I can't recall his identity, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in multiple respects. I lacked the courage or self-assurance to reach out at an prestigious college and request employment. And, I had always wanted to pursue education overseas, but could never have afforded it without that tuition waiver.
What's more, that job in New York led me to a position in Switzerland where I met my beautiful French husband, with whom I currently share four amazing children. It was a total sliding doors moment. That helpful person changed my trajectory in life, and I’m forever grateful.
Tell us about the Nicest Thing a Someone You Didn't Know Has Ever Done for You?
From making your day to changing your life, we would love to know unexpected interactions that have left a lasting impression.
Feel free to recount your experience if you are of legal age, without revealing your identity if you prefer. The stories you tell are protected, and are solely for the aim of this article.
