In the final years of the 1980s, I was embarking on a budget travel adventure to Europe with a travel partner. Because my travel mate was considering enrolling in graduate studies in New York, we had booked a 14-day stopover there en route to London.
We arrived at the student accommodation, a large ten-floor structure on the Upper West Side named International House. After dropping our bags, we headed straight to the cafeteria, where we got some food, took a seat, and started talking to fellow residents.
Beside me was an Iraqi man pursuing an engineering degree at an Ivy League institution. He wanted to know what I did for a living, and I shared that I had recently completed my studies with a scientific background and had been performing experiments with electron microscopy.
He noted that there was an microscopy facility at the university – close to the engineering faculty, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He suggested that I should apply for a job with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, explaining that I was soon departing to Europe and, more critically, I didn’t have a US visa.
The following day I ventured out, coming back to the dining hall that evening. The Iraqi student approached me and informed me that he had set up a meeting for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Because he had gone to the trouble, I went to the meeting – but straight off informed my prospective employer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a metropolis where anything feels possible – she declared: “We can make that happen. How soon can you begin?” I never got on that flight to London.
I was employed there for 36 months. A perk of the job was that I also received no-cost classes at Columbia, and I took advantage to finish a postgrad program in international relations.
I lost touch with him and I am unaware of his full name, but his selfless gesture changed my life in multiple respects. I would never have had the bravery or self-assurance to approach someone at an elite institution and seek a position. And, I had consistently hoped to pursue education overseas, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that tuition waiver.
What's more, that job in New York paved the way for a job in Zurich where I got to know my wonderful partner, with whom I am raising four wonderful sons and daughters. That encounter altered everything. That kind stranger redirected my path in life, and I’m forever grateful.
What is the Nicest Thing a Someone You Didn't Know Has Shown for You?
Whether it's making your day to altering your path, we are interested in unexpected interactions that have remained in your memory.
Feel free to recount your experience if you are 18 or over, without revealing your identity if you wish. Your responses are secure, and will only be used the aim of this article.
