In the final years of the 1980s, I was embarking on a low-cost journey to Europe with a companion. Since my friend was exploring enrolling in graduate studies in the Big Apple, we had booked a two-week stay there en route to London.
We arrived at the graduate housing, a large multi-story edifice on the Manhattan's Upper West Side called International House. Once we unpacked, we made our way to the cafeteria, where we picked up meals, sat down, and began chatting with other diners.
Sitting next to me was an gentleman from Iraq pursuing an engineering degree at a prestigious New York university. He asked me what I did, and I shared that I had recently completed my studies with a degree in science and had been conducting research using an electron microscope.
He mentioned that there was an research lab at the university – adjacent to the engineering department, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He suggested that I ought to seek a job with them. I dismissed the idea, saying that I was about to fly to Europe and, even more importantly, I lacked a US visa.
The following day I ventured out, returning to the canteen that evening. The engineering student came up to me and told me that he had arranged an interview for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Because he had made the arrangement, I attended the interview – but right away told my host that I was without a work permit, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a metropolis where opportunities abound – she declared: “We can make that happen. When can you start?” I missed my plane to London.
I held that position for three years. An advantage of the role was that I also received no-cost classes at Columbia, and I took advantage to earn a master’s of international affairs.
We didn't cross paths after that and I can't recall his full name, but his incredible act of kindness altered my destiny in so many ways. I lacked the confidence or self-assurance to reach out at an elite institution and seek a position. Additionally, I had always wanted 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 beautiful French husband, with whom I now have a family of four kids. This was a pivotal life event. That benevolent individual changed my trajectory in life, and I’m forever grateful.
Can you recall the Nicest Thing a Unknown Person Has Once Performed for You?
Whether it's cheering you up to transforming your future, we would love to know random meetings that have left a lasting impression.
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