During the late 1980s, I was beginning a low-cost journey to Europe with a companion. Since my friend was considering enrolling in graduate studies in the Big Apple, we had planned a fortnight visit there en route to London.
We reached the postgrad residence, a sizeable ten-floor structure on the UWS called International House. Once we unpacked, we made our way to the dining hall, where we got some food, took a seat, and engaged in conversation with fellow residents.
Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man studying engineering at an Ivy League institution. He wanted to know what I did, and I told him that I had just graduated with a science degree and had been working on studies involving microscopic analysis.
He noted that there was an research lab at Columbia University – close to the engineering faculty, which was how he knew about it. He recommended that I consider applying for a role with them. I laughed it off, saying that I was about to fly to Europe and, additionally, I did not possess a US visa.
The following day I toured the city, coming back to the dining hall that night. The Iraqi student came up to me and let me know that he had arranged an interview for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Since he had gone to the trouble, I showed up for the discussion – but straight off explained to my prospective employer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was probably wasting her time.
In typical New York fashion – a metropolis where everything seems achievable – she declared: “We can make that happen. What's your start date?” I missed my plane to London.
I held that position for a trio of years. A perk of the job was that I was granted free tuition at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to earn a master’s of international affairs.
I never saw that student again and I don’t even know his full name, but his incredible act of kindness changed my life in so many ways. I didn't possess the bravery or self-assurance to contact anyone at an elite institution and request employment. Moreover, I had long dreamed to take classes in another country, but lacked the financial means without that free tuition.
What's more, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a job in Zurich where I encountered my beautiful French husband, with whom I now have four amazing children. That encounter altered everything. That helpful person changed my trajectory in life, and I’m forever grateful.
Can you recall the Kindest Gesture a Stranger Has Once Performed for You?
Whether it's brightening your mood to changing your life, we would love to know unexpected interactions that have remained in your memory.
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