During the late 1980s, I set out on a low-cost journey to the European continent with a friend. Since my friend was interested in starting a postgraduate program in NYC, we had arranged a 14-day stopover there en route to London.
We arrived at the postgrad residence, a big 10-storey building on the Upper West Side known as International House. After dropping our bags, we made our way to the cafeteria, where we picked up meals, took a seat, and engaged in conversation with fellow residents.
Sitting next to me was an gentleman from Iraq pursuing an engineering degree at a prestigious New York university. He inquired what I did, and I told him that I had just graduated with a degree in science and had been conducting research using an electron microscope.
He mentioned that there was an microscopy facility at Columbia University – close to the engineering department, which was why he was aware of it. He recommended that I ought to seek a job with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, telling him that I was soon departing to Europe and, additionally, I lacked a US visa.
The next day I ventured out, coming back to the dining hall that after dark. The engineering student came up to me and let me know that he had organized a discussion for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Since he had gone to the trouble, I attended the interview – but right away told my host that I was without a work permit, so I was probably wasting her time.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a city where everything seems achievable – she declared: “We'll handle it. When can you start?” I never got on that flight to London.
I was employed there for a trio of years. A perk of the job was that I got free tuition at Columbia, and I took advantage to complete a graduate degree in global studies.
We didn't cross paths after that and I am unaware of his full name, but his selfless gesture transformed my future in multiple respects. I lacked the confidence or self-belief to approach someone at an elite institution and request employment. Moreover, I had long dreamed to take classes in another country, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that free tuition.
Critically, that role at the university resulted in a job in Zurich where I got to know my handsome spouse from France, with whom I currently share four wonderful sons and daughters. That encounter altered everything. That helpful person changed my trajectory in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
What is the Kindest Gesture a Unknown Person Has Ever Done for You?
Whether it's making your day to changing your life, we want to hear about random meetings that have left a lasting impression.
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