In the final years of the 1980s, I was embarking on a budget travel adventure to the European continent with a companion. Since my friend was considering enrolling in graduate studies in the Big Apple, we had booked a 14-day stopover there en route to London.
We got to the student accommodation, a sizeable ten-floor structure on the Manhattan's Upper West Side called International House. After dropping our bags, we made our way to the dining hall, where we picked up meals, took a seat, and began chatting with other diners.
Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man pursuing an engineering degree at a prestigious New York university. He wanted to know what I did for a living, and I told him that I had recently completed my studies with a degree in science and had been conducting research with electron microscopy.
He noted that there was an research lab at the institution – right next door to the school of engineering, which was how he knew about it. He suggested that I consider applying for a job with them. I dismissed the idea, explaining that I was heading off to Europe and, additionally, I didn’t have a US visa.
The next day I went out exploring, going back to the cafeteria that after dark. The man from Iraq came up to me and told me that he had organized a discussion for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Given that he had taken the effort, I went to the meeting – but straight off explained to my host that I didn’t have a visa, so I was unable to accept the role.
As is common in NYC – a metropolis where opportunities abound – she declared: “We'll handle it. What's your start date?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I was employed there for three years. One of the benefits was that I also received complimentary education at Columbia, and I took advantage to finish a postgrad program in international relations.
We didn't cross paths after that and I don’t even know his identity, but his remarkable generosity altered my destiny in so many ways. I lacked the courage or self-belief to approach someone at an Ivy League university and seek a position. And, I had consistently hoped to study abroad, but could never have afforded it without that educational benefit.
What's more, that gig at Columbia led me to a position in Switzerland where I met my handsome spouse from France, with whom I currently share a family of four kids. That encounter altered everything. That helpful person set me on a different course in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
What is the Nicest Thing a Unknown Person Has Shown for You?
Whether it's cheering you up to transforming your future, we are interested in random meetings that have left a lasting impression.
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