During the closing decade of the 80s, I set out on a budget travel adventure to Europe with a companion. Since my companion was interested in enrolling in graduate studies in NYC, we had arranged a fortnight visit there en route to London.
We got to the postgrad residence, a sizeable multi-story edifice on the Upper West Side known as International House. After dropping our bags, we headed straight to the canteen, where we picked up meals, sat down, and engaged in conversation with fellow residents.
Beside me was an gentleman from Iraq enrolled in an engineering program at a prestigious New York university. He inquired what I did for a living, and I told him that I had newly finished with a degree in science and had been conducting research involving microscopic analysis.
He noted that there was an microscopy facility at the institution – adjacent to the engineering department, which was why he was aware of it. He recommended that I should apply for a role with them. I laughed it off, telling him that I was about to fly to Europe and, additionally, I didn’t have a US visa.
The following day I toured the city, returning to the canteen that evening. The engineering student approached me and informed me that he had arranged an interview for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Because he had made the arrangement, I showed up for the discussion – but right away informed my prospective employer 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 responded: “That can be arranged. When can you start?” I missed my plane to London.
I held that position for three years. One of the benefits was that I was granted no-cost classes at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to finish a graduate degree in global studies.
I lost touch with him and I am unaware of his name, but his remarkable generosity altered my destiny in so many ways. I lacked the courage or self-assurance to reach out at an Ivy League university and seek a position. Additionally, I had long dreamed to take classes in another country, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that tuition waiver.
What's more, that gig at Columbia resulted in a job in Zurich where I met my wonderful partner, with whom I now have four wonderful sons and daughters. That encounter altered everything. That benevolent individual changed my trajectory in life, and I’m forever grateful.
Tell us about the Nicest Thing a Unknown Person Has Ever Done for You?
From brightening your mood to altering your path, we are interested in unexpected interactions that have stuck with you.
We invite you to tell us if you are 18 or over, anonymously if you choose. The stories you tell are secure, and are intended for the goal of sharing inspiring stories.
