In the late 1980s, I set out on a backpacking trip to the European continent with a companion. Since my companion was considering pursuing a master’s degree in New York, we had arranged a fortnight visit there on the way to London.
We reached the postgrad residence, a sizeable multi-story edifice on the Manhattan's Upper West Side named International House. Setting down our luggage, we went directly to the cafeteria, where we grabbed food, found a table, and engaged in conversation with people eating there.
Sitting next to me was an gentleman from Iraq pursuing an engineering degree at Columbia University. He asked me what I did, and I shared that I had just graduated with a degree in science and had been conducting research using an electron microscope.
He noted 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 suggested that I consider applying for a role with them. I laughed it off, explaining that I was heading off to Europe and, additionally, I didn’t have a US visa.
The following day I toured the city, coming back to the dining hall that after dark. The man from Iraq approached me and told me that he had organized a discussion for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Because he had taken the effort, I attended the interview – but straight off informed my interviewer that I was without a work permit, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
As is common in NYC – a city where opportunities abound – she said: “That can be arranged. When can you start?” I missed my plane to London.
I worked there for 36 months. One of the benefits was that I was granted 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 selfless gesture changed my life in numerous aspects. I lacked the bravery or self-assurance to approach someone at an Ivy League university and ask for a job. Moreover, I had long dreamed to study abroad, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that tuition waiver.
Critically, that job in New York resulted in a job in Zurich where I met my wonderful partner, with whom I now have four amazing children. That encounter altered everything. That benevolent individual set me on a different course in life, and I’m forever grateful.
What is the Nicest Thing a Someone You Didn't Know Has Shown for You?
From brightening your mood to altering your path, we are interested in random meetings that have remained in your memory.
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