In the closing decade of the 80s, I set out on a budget travel adventure to Europe with a friend. Since my companion was interested in enrolling in graduate studies in New York, we had booked a two-week stay there on the way to London.
We reached the postgrad residence, a large 10-storey building on the Manhattan's Upper West Side named International House. Once we unpacked, we went directly to the canteen, where we picked up meals, found a table, and began chatting with fellow residents.
Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man studying engineering at an Ivy League institution. He inquired what I did for a living, and I shared 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 – adjacent to the engineering faculty, which was how he knew about it. He proposed that I should apply for a job with them. I dismissed the idea, telling him that I was soon departing to Europe and, even more importantly, I lacked a US visa.
The next day I ventured out, coming back to the dining hall that after dark. The engineering student came up to me and told me that he had organized a discussion for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Since he had made the arrangement, I attended the interview – but right away informed my interviewer that I was without a work permit, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a place where opportunities abound – she declared: “We can make that happen. When can you start?” I never got on that flight to London.
I held that position for a trio of years. An advantage of the role was that I also received complimentary education at Columbia, and I seized the chance to complete a master’s of international affairs.
I lost touch with him and I can't recall his full name, but his selfless gesture transformed my future in multiple respects. I would never have had the confidence or self-assurance to reach out at an Ivy League university 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 educational benefit.
What's more, that role at the university paved the way for a position in Switzerland where I encountered my beautiful French husband, with whom I now have a family of four kids. It was a total sliding doors moment. That benevolent individual redirected my path in life, and I’m always appreciative.
What is the Most Generous Act a Unknown Person Has Shown for You?
From making your day to changing your life, we would love to know random meetings that have remained in your memory.
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