In the final years of the 1980s, I was embarking on a budget travel adventure to Europe with a travel partner. Since my friend was considering pursuing a master’s degree in NYC, we had arranged a two-week stay there en route to London.
We reached the student accommodation, a large 10-storey building on the Upper West Side named International House. After dropping our bags, we headed straight to the dining hall, where we picked up meals, sat down, and engaged in conversation with fellow residents.
Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man pursuing an engineering degree at an Ivy League institution. He asked me what I did, and I shared that I had just graduated with a degree in science and had been working on studies involving microscopic analysis.
He pointed out that there was an research lab at Columbia University – adjacent to the engineering faculty, which was how he knew about it. He suggested that I ought to seek a position with them. I dismissed the idea, saying that I was heading off to Europe and, even more importantly, I didn’t have a US visa.
The next day I toured the city, coming back to the dining hall that evening. The Iraqi student approached me and informed me that he had set up a meeting 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 informed my prospective employer that I was without a work permit, so I was probably wasting her time.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a city where opportunities abound – she responded: “We can make that happen. When can you start?” I never got on that flight to London.
I worked there for a trio of years. One of the benefits was that I also received complimentary education at Columbia, and I took advantage to earn a master’s of international affairs.
I lost touch with him and I am unaware of his full name, but his remarkable generosity transformed my future in numerous aspects. I lacked the courage or nerve to reach out at an elite institution and seek a position. And, I had always wanted to take classes in another country, but could never have afforded it without that tuition waiver.
What's more, that job in New York resulted in a role in Europe where I got to know my beautiful French husband, with whom I now have four amazing children. It was a total sliding doors moment. That kind stranger redirected my path in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
What is the Most Generous Act a Stranger Has Once Performed for You?
Whether it's cheering you up to altering your path, we would love to know chance encounters that have left a lasting impression.
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