In the closing decade of the 80s, I set out on a backpacking trip to the European continent with a friend. Because my travel mate was considering enrolling in graduate studies in NYC, we had booked a two-week stay there on the way to London.
We got to the graduate housing, a sizeable multi-story edifice on the Upper West Side named International House. After dropping our bags, we went directly to the cafeteria, where we picked up meals, took a seat, and engaged in conversation with other diners.
Adjacent to my seat was an gentleman from Iraq pursuing an engineering degree at an Ivy League institution. He wanted to know what I did, and I told him that I had just graduated with a degree in science and had been performing experiments using an electron microscope.
He noted that there was an electron microscope unit at the institution – adjacent to the engineering department, which was why he was aware of it. He suggested that I ought to seek a role with them. I dismissed the idea, telling him that I was about to fly to Europe and, more critically, I lacked a US visa.
The next day I went out exploring, going back to the cafeteria that night. The engineering student approached me and let me know that he had arranged an interview for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Since he had made the arrangement, I attended the interview – but straight off told my interviewer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was probably wasting her time.
As is common in NYC – a metropolis where everything seems achievable – she declared: “We can make that happen. What's your start date?” I missed my plane to London.
I worked there for three years. An advantage of the role was that I was granted free tuition at Columbia, and I seized the chance to complete a master’s of international affairs.
I lost touch with him and I can't recall his full name, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in numerous aspects. I didn't possess the bravery or nerve to contact anyone at an elite institution and seek a position. Moreover, I had always wanted to pursue education overseas, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that educational benefit.
Perhaps most importantly, that gig at Columbia resulted in a position in Switzerland where I got to know my wonderful partner, with whom I currently share four wonderful sons and daughters. This was a pivotal life event. That kind stranger changed my trajectory in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
Can you recall the Most Generous Act a Someone You Didn't Know Has Once Performed for You?
Whether it's brightening your mood to altering your path, we would love to know random meetings that have remained in your memory.
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