In the final years of the 1980s, I was embarking on a backpacking trip to Europe with a friend. Since my friend was exploring enrolling in graduate studies in the Big Apple, we had planned a two-week stay there before heading to London.
We reached the graduate housing, a large 10-storey building on the Manhattan's Upper West Side called International House. After dropping our bags, we headed straight to the canteen, where we got some food, took a seat, and engaged in conversation with fellow residents.
Adjacent to my seat was an individual of Iraqi origin studying engineering at an Ivy League institution. He asked me what I did for a living, and I shared that I had recently completed my studies with a scientific background and had been working on studies involving microscopic analysis.
He noted that there was an research lab at the university – close to the engineering faculty, which was why he was aware of it. He recommended that I should apply for a role with them. I laughed it off, telling him that I was heading off to Europe and, more critically, I did not possess a US visa.
The next day I ventured out, coming back to the dining hall that evening. The Iraqi student approached me and told me that he had set up a meeting for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Given that he had made the arrangement, I went to the meeting – but straight off explained to my interviewer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a metropolis where opportunities abound – she responded: “That can be arranged. What's your start date?” I missed my plane to London.
I worked there for three years. A perk of the job was that I also received no-cost classes at Columbia, and I took advantage to finish a graduate degree in global studies.
We didn't cross paths after that and I don’t even know his name, but his incredible act of kindness changed my life in so many ways. I didn't possess the confidence or self-assurance to contact anyone at an prestigious college and seek a position. And, I had long dreamed to pursue education overseas, but could never have afforded it without that tuition waiver.
Perhaps most importantly, that job in New York paved the way for a job in Zurich where I encountered my beautiful French husband, with whom I currently share four amazing children. That encounter altered everything. That helpful person redirected my path in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
What is the Kindest Gesture a Unknown Person Has Shown for You?
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