In the closing decade of the 80s, I set out on a budget travel adventure to Europe with a travel partner. Because my friend was considering starting a postgraduate program in New York, we had booked a 14-day stopover there before heading to London.
We got to the student accommodation, a big ten-floor structure on the Upper West Side known as International House. After dropping our bags, we made our way to the canteen, where we got some food, took a seat, and started talking to other diners.
Adjacent to my seat was an gentleman from Iraq enrolled in an engineering program at Columbia University. He asked me what I did, and I explained that I had newly finished with a degree in science and had been conducting research involving microscopic analysis.
He mentioned that there was an microscopy facility at the university – close to the engineering faculty, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He recommended that I ought to seek a job with them. I laughed it off, explaining that I was soon departing 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 evening. The man from Iraq approached me and told me that he had arranged an interview for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Given that he had gone to the trouble, I went to the meeting – but right away informed my host that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was unable to accept the role.
As is common in NYC – a place where opportunities abound – she declared: “We'll handle it. What's your start date?” I never got on that flight to London.
I worked there for 36 months. One of the benefits was that I also received complimentary education at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to earn a postgrad program in international relations.
We didn't cross paths after that and I can't recall his identity, but his incredible act of kindness transformed my future in multiple respects. I didn't possess the bravery or self-assurance to approach someone at an elite institution and request employment. Moreover, I had consistently hoped to study abroad, but lacked the financial means without that educational benefit.
Perhaps most importantly, that role at the university paved the way for a job in Zurich where I encountered my wonderful partner, with whom I now have a family of four kids. That encounter altered everything. That benevolent individual set me on a different course in life, and I’m always appreciative.
What is the Kindest Gesture a Stranger Has Once Performed for You?
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