In the final years of the 1980s, I was embarking on a backpacking trip to Europe with a companion. Because my travel mate was interested in pursuing a master’s degree in the Big Apple, we had planned a two-week stay there on the way to London.
We reached the postgrad residence, a sizeable ten-floor structure on the UWS known as International House. After dropping our bags, we made our way to the dining hall, where we grabbed food, took a seat, and began chatting with other diners.
Beside me was an Iraqi man studying engineering at a prestigious New York university. He asked me what I my profession was, and I told him that I had recently completed my studies with a degree in science and had been performing experiments with electron microscopy.
He mentioned that there was an research lab at the institution – close to the engineering faculty, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He recommended that I should apply for a job with them. I laughed it off, telling him that I was heading off to Europe and, more critically, I did not possess a US visa.
The following day I went out exploring, returning to the canteen that after dark. The man from Iraq came up to me and told me that he had arranged an interview for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Because he had gone to the trouble, I showed up for the discussion – but immediately told my prospective employer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a place where opportunities abound – she responded: “We'll handle it. What's your start date?” I never got on that flight to London.
I was employed there for three years. A perk of the job was that I got no-cost classes at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to complete a postgrad program in international relations.
I never saw that student again and I don’t even know his name, but his selfless gesture transformed my future in numerous aspects. I didn't possess the courage or nerve to reach out at an Ivy League university and ask for a job. And, I had consistently hoped to take classes in another country, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that educational benefit.
What's more, that gig at Columbia resulted in a role in Europe where I met my beautiful French husband, with whom I am raising four wonderful sons and daughters. It was a total sliding doors moment. That kind stranger redirected my path in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
Can you recall the Most Generous Act a Stranger Has Shown for You?
From making your day to altering your path, we would love to know random meetings that have left a lasting impression.
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