During the closing decade of the 80s, I was embarking on a budget travel adventure to the European continent with a friend. Since my travel mate was exploring enrolling in graduate studies in the Big Apple, we had planned a two-week stay there en route to London.
We reached the graduate housing, a big multi-story edifice on the Manhattan's Upper West Side called International House. After dropping our bags, we made our way to the canteen, where we grabbed food, sat down, and started talking to other diners.
Sitting next to me was an individual of Iraqi origin pursuing an engineering degree at a prestigious New York university. He wanted to know what I did, and I told him that I had newly finished with a scientific background and had been working on studies using an electron microscope.
He noted that there was an research lab at Columbia University – 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, telling him that I was heading off to Europe and, additionally, I lacked a US visa.
The following day I ventured out, going back to the cafeteria that night. The engineering student approached me and let me know 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 straight off told my host that I didn’t have a visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a city where anything feels possible – she said: “We'll handle it. When can you start?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I was employed there for 36 months. One of the benefits was that I also received free tuition at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to finish a master’s of international affairs.
We didn't cross paths after that and I can't recall his identity, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in multiple respects. I didn't possess the confidence or self-assurance to approach someone at an prestigious college and request employment. And, I had long dreamed to study abroad, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that tuition waiver.
Perhaps most importantly, that role at the university paved the way for a role in Europe where I got to know my handsome spouse from France, with whom I currently share four amazing children. That encounter altered everything. That helpful person redirected my path in life, and I’m forever grateful.
Can you recall the Most Generous Act a Unknown Person Has Once Performed for You?
From making your day to changing your life, we want to hear about random meetings that have stuck with you.
Feel free to recount your experience if you are an adult, without revealing your identity if you choose. The stories you tell are confidential, and will only be used the aim of this article.
