In the late 1980s, I was embarking on a backpacking trip to Europe with a travel partner. Because my friend was exploring enrolling in graduate studies in the Big Apple, we had booked a fortnight visit there on the way to London.
We arrived at the student accommodation, a big 10-storey building on the Upper West Side named International House. After dropping our bags, we went directly to the cafeteria, where we picked up meals, sat down, and engaged in conversation with fellow residents.
Adjacent to my seat was an individual of Iraqi origin pursuing an engineering degree at an Ivy League institution. He asked me what I did for a living, and I shared that I had newly finished with a degree in science and had been working on studies using an electron microscope.
He pointed out that there was an electron microscope unit at the institution – close to the school of engineering, which was why he was aware of it. He recommended that I should apply for a job with them. I dismissed the idea, saying that I was heading off to Europe and, additionally, I did not possess a US visa.
The next day I went out exploring, returning to the canteen that evening. The engineering student 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 went to the meeting – but immediately explained to my prospective employer that I was without a work permit, so I was probably wasting her time.
In typical New York fashion – a city where anything feels possible – she responded: “We can make that happen. How soon can you begin?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I was employed there for a trio of years. A perk of the job was that I got no-cost classes at Columbia, and I seized the chance to complete a master’s of international affairs.
I never saw that student again and I don’t even know his full name, but his incredible act of kindness changed my life in so many ways. I would never have had the bravery or nerve to reach out at an Ivy League university and seek a position. Additionally, I had consistently hoped to pursue education overseas, but lacked the financial means without that tuition waiver.
Critically, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a job in Zurich where I encountered my wonderful partner, with whom I am raising four wonderful sons and daughters. This was a pivotal life event. That kind stranger set me on a different course in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
What is the Kindest Gesture a Someone You Didn't Know Has Ever Done for You?
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