In the late 1980s, I was beginning a backpacking trip to Europe with a friend. Because my friend was considering pursuing a master’s degree in NYC, we had planned a 14-day stopover there en route to London.
We got to the postgrad residence, a sizeable 10-storey building on the UWS named International House. After dropping our bags, we made our way to the dining hall, where we picked up meals, found a table, and engaged in conversation with fellow residents.
Adjacent to my seat was an individual of Iraqi origin pursuing an engineering degree at an Ivy League institution. He asked me what I did for a living, and I told him that I had just graduated with a scientific background and had been working on studies involving microscopic analysis.
He noted that there was an microscopy facility at the university – right next door to the school of engineering, which was how he knew about it. He recommended that I should apply for a position with them. I laughed it off, telling him that I was heading off to Europe and, more critically, I lacked a US visa.
The next day I went out exploring, coming back to the dining hall that evening. 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. Since he had made the arrangement, I went to the meeting – but immediately informed my host that I didn’t have a visa, so I was unable to accept the role.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a city where anything feels possible – she responded: “We'll handle it. How soon can you begin?” I never got on that flight to London.
I worked there for three years. An advantage of the role was that I also received no-cost classes at Columbia, and I seized the chance to complete a master’s of international affairs.
I lost touch with him and I don’t even know his full name, but his selfless gesture changed my life in multiple respects. I would never have had the courage or nerve to approach someone at an Ivy League university and request employment. 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 job in New York led me to a role in Europe where I met my handsome spouse from France, with whom I currently share four wonderful sons and daughters. It was a total sliding doors moment. That helpful person redirected my path in life, and I’m always appreciative.
Can you recall the Most Generous Act a Stranger Has Once Performed for You?
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