In the late 1980s, I set out on a budget travel adventure to the European continent with a friend. Since my companion was considering starting a postgraduate program in the Big Apple, we had arranged a fortnight visit there en route to London.
We got to the graduate housing, a sizeable ten-floor structure on the UWS known as International House. Setting down our luggage, we went directly to the cafeteria, where we picked up meals, sat down, and engaged in conversation with other diners.
Adjacent to my seat was an gentleman from Iraq studying engineering at Columbia University. He inquired what I did, and I explained that I had newly finished with a scientific background and had been performing experiments with electron microscopy.
He mentioned that there was an electron microscope unit at the institution – adjacent to the engineering faculty, which was how he knew about it. He suggested that I ought to seek a job with them. I dismissed the idea, explaining that I was heading off to Europe and, more critically, I did not possess a US visa.
The following day I went out exploring, coming back to the dining hall that after dark. The man from Iraq approached me and let me know that he had organized a discussion for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Since he had taken the effort, I showed up for the discussion – but immediately told my host that I was without a work permit, so I was unable to accept the role.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a metropolis where opportunities abound – she declared: “We can make that happen. How soon can you begin?” I missed my plane to London.
I worked there for a trio of years. One of the benefits was that I was granted complimentary education at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to complete a postgrad program in international relations.
I never saw that student again and I can't recall his identity, but his remarkable generosity altered my destiny in multiple respects. I would never have had the confidence or nerve to reach out at an Ivy League university and ask for a job. Moreover, I had consistently hoped to pursue education overseas, but could never have afforded it without that free tuition.
Critically, that gig at Columbia resulted in a position in Switzerland where I encountered my wonderful partner, with whom I now have a family of four kids. It was a total sliding doors moment. That kind stranger set me on a different course in life, and I’m always appreciative.
Can you recall the Nicest Thing a Stranger Has Once Performed for You?
Whether it's cheering you up to changing your life, we want to hear about unexpected interactions that have left a lasting impression.
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