In the final years of the 1980s, I was embarking on a low-cost journey to the European continent with a companion. Because my travel mate was exploring pursuing a master’s degree in NYC, we had planned a two-week stay there on the way to London.
We arrived at the student accommodation, a sizeable 10-storey building on the Upper West Side named International House. Setting down our luggage, we made our way to the dining hall, where we grabbed food, sat down, and started talking to fellow residents.
Sitting next to me was an individual of Iraqi origin enrolled in an engineering program at a prestigious New York university. He wanted to know what I did, and I explained that I had recently completed my studies with a scientific background and had been working on studies using an electron microscope.
He mentioned that there was an microscopy facility at Columbia University – right next door to the school of engineering, which was how he knew about it. He proposed that I should apply for a position with them. I dismissed the idea, saying that I was soon departing to Europe and, even more importantly, I didn’t have a US visa.
The following day I toured the city, going back to the cafeteria that after dark. The engineering student came up to me and let me know that he had organized a discussion for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Given that he had made the arrangement, I showed up for the discussion – but immediately told my prospective employer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was probably wasting her time.
As is common in NYC – a metropolis where opportunities abound – she responded: “We can make that happen. What's your start date?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I held that position for 36 months. A perk of the job was that I also received free tuition at Columbia, and I took advantage to complete a graduate degree in global studies.
I never saw that student again and I don’t even know his identity, but his selfless gesture altered my destiny in so many ways. I lacked the bravery or self-assurance to contact anyone at an Ivy League university and request employment. Additionally, I had always wanted to pursue education overseas, 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 encountered my handsome spouse from France, with whom I am raising a family of four kids. It was a total sliding doors moment. That helpful person redirected my path in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
Can you recall the Kindest Gesture a Someone You Didn't Know Has Once Performed for You?
From making your day to transforming your future, we are interested in chance encounters that have left a lasting impression.
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