In the final years of the 1980s, I was embarking on a backpacking trip to the European continent with a friend. Since my companion was exploring starting a postgraduate program in NYC, we had arranged a 14-day stopover there before heading to London.
We arrived at the student accommodation, a sizeable multi-story edifice on the Manhattan's Upper West Side named International House. Once we unpacked, we made our way to the dining hall, where we got some food, found a table, and engaged in conversation with people eating there.
Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at Columbia University. He inquired what I did, and I told him that I had recently completed my studies with a degree in science and had been performing experiments with electron microscopy.
He noted that there was an research lab at the institution – right next door to the engineering faculty, which was how he knew about it. He suggested that I should apply for a job with them. I dismissed the idea, explaining that I was about to fly to Europe and, even more importantly, I didn’t have a US visa.
The following day I ventured out, coming back to the dining hall that evening. The engineering student approached me and told me that he had organized a discussion for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Given that he had made the arrangement, I showed up for the discussion – but straight off told my prospective employer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a city where everything seems achievable – she said: “We'll handle it. When can you start?” I missed my plane to London.
I was employed there for three years. An advantage of the role was that I got complimentary education at Columbia, and I seized the chance to earn a master’s of international affairs.
I never saw that student again and I can't recall his name, but his incredible act of kindness transformed my future in multiple respects. I would never have had the confidence or self-belief to approach someone at an elite institution and seek a position. Moreover, I had always wanted to take classes in another country, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that tuition waiver.
Perhaps most importantly, that job in New York led me to a job in Zurich where I encountered my handsome spouse from France, with whom I am raising four wonderful sons and daughters. It was a total sliding doors moment. That benevolent individual set me on a different course in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
What is the Kindest Gesture a Stranger Has Shown for You?
Whether it's brightening your mood to changing your life, we would love to know chance encounters that have stuck with you.
Feel free to recount your experience if you are of legal age, without revealing your identity if you prefer. The stories you tell are confidential, and will only be used the aim of this article.
