In the late 1980s, I was embarking on a backpacking trip to Europe with a travel partner. Since my friend was exploring starting a postgraduate program in NYC, we had arranged a two-week stay there en route to London.
We got to the student accommodation, a big ten-floor structure on the UWS known as International House. After dropping our bags, we headed straight to the dining hall, where we grabbed food, took a seat, and started talking to people eating there.
Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man studying engineering at a prestigious New York university. He wanted to know what I did, and I explained that I had newly finished with a science degree and had been conducting research involving microscopic analysis.
He pointed out that there was an research lab at Columbia University – close to the engineering faculty, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He recommended that I ought to seek a job with them. I dismissed the idea, telling him that I was soon departing to Europe and, more critically, I did not possess a US visa.
A day later I toured the city, going back to the cafeteria that evening. The man from Iraq came up to me and told me that he had set up a meeting for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Because he had taken the effort, I attended the interview – but immediately informed my prospective employer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was probably wasting her time.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a city where opportunities abound – she responded: “We can make that happen. When can you start?” I never got on that flight to London.
I held that position for three years. One of the benefits was that I was granted free tuition at Columbia, and I used the opportunity 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 altered my destiny in so many ways. I didn't possess the courage or nerve to reach out at an elite institution and seek a position. And, I had consistently hoped to study abroad, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that tuition waiver.
What's more, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a role in Europe where I encountered my beautiful French husband, with whom I am raising four wonderful sons and daughters. It was a total sliding doors moment. That benevolent individual changed my trajectory in life, and I’m forever grateful.
What is the Most Generous Act a Unknown Person Has Once Performed for You?
Whether it's making your day to transforming your future, we are interested in random meetings that have left a lasting impression.
Please share your story if you are an adult, without revealing your identity if you wish. The stories you tell are protected, and are solely for the goal of sharing inspiring stories.
