During the late 1980s, I was beginning a backpacking trip to the European continent with a friend. Since my travel mate was interested in starting a postgraduate program in the Big Apple, we had planned a fortnight visit there en route to London.
We got to the student accommodation, a sizeable ten-floor structure on the UWS called International House. After dropping our bags, we made our way to the canteen, where we grabbed food, sat down, and engaged in conversation with fellow residents.
Adjacent to my seat was an individual of Iraqi origin enrolled in an engineering program at an Ivy League institution. He wanted to know what I did for a living, and I told him that I had just graduated with a scientific background and had been performing experiments involving microscopic analysis.
He pointed out that there was an microscopy facility at Columbia University – right next door to the engineering department, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He recommended that I consider applying for a role with them. I dismissed the idea, saying that I was soon departing to Europe and, even more importantly, I lacked a US visa.
The next day I went out exploring, going back to the cafeteria that evening. The man from Iraq came up to me and informed me that he had arranged an interview for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Given that he had gone to the trouble, I attended the interview – but right away informed my interviewer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was probably wasting her time.
In typical New York fashion – a metropolis where everything seems achievable – she responded: “We'll handle it. When can you start?” I missed my plane to London.
I worked there for 36 months. One of the benefits was that I also received no-cost classes at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to earn a master’s of international affairs.
I never saw that student again and I can't recall his name, but his remarkable generosity transformed my future in numerous aspects. I would never have had the confidence or self-assurance to approach someone at an Ivy League university and seek a position. Additionally, I had consistently hoped to study abroad, but lacked the financial means without that educational benefit.
Perhaps most importantly, that gig at Columbia led me to a role in Europe where I got to know my handsome spouse from France, with whom I now have four amazing children. This was a pivotal life event. That benevolent individual changed my trajectory in life, and I’m always appreciative.
What is the Kindest Gesture a Stranger Has Shown for You?
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