During the late 1980s, I was beginning a budget travel adventure to Europe with a friend. Since my travel mate was considering pursuing a master’s degree in NYC, we had booked a fortnight visit there on the way to London.
We arrived at the graduate housing, a sizeable ten-floor structure on the UWS known as International House. Once we unpacked, we made our way to the canteen, where we picked up meals, found a table, and engaged in conversation with other diners.
Beside me was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at a prestigious New York university. He asked me what I did for a living, and I shared that I had just graduated with a science degree and had been performing experiments using an electron microscope.
He mentioned that there was an microscopy facility at the university – close to the school of engineering, which was how he knew about it. He recommended that I should apply for a role with them. I dismissed the idea, telling him that I was about to fly to Europe and, even more importantly, I lacked a US visa.
A day later I ventured out, going back to the cafeteria that evening. The man from Iraq approached me and told me that he had arranged an interview for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Because he had taken the effort, I went to the meeting – but immediately explained to my host that I didn’t have a visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a place where opportunities abound – she responded: “That can be arranged. When can you start?” I never got on that flight to London.
I held that position for 36 months. One of the benefits was that I was granted complimentary education at Columbia, and I seized the chance to earn a postgrad program in international relations.
I never saw that student again and I can't recall his name, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in so many ways. I didn't possess the bravery or nerve to reach out at an Ivy League university and request employment. Moreover, I had always wanted to study abroad, but could never have afforded it without that educational benefit.
Perhaps most importantly, that gig at Columbia led me to a position in Switzerland where I got to know my beautiful French husband, with whom I currently share four wonderful sons and daughters. That encounter altered everything. That kind stranger set me on a different course in life, and I’m always appreciative.
Tell us about the Most Generous Act a Stranger Has Once Performed for You?
From cheering you up to altering your path, we would love to know unexpected interactions that have remained in your memory.
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