In the late 1980s, I set out on a backpacking trip to Europe with a travel partner. Because my friend was interested in pursuing a master’s degree in the Big Apple, we had arranged a fortnight visit there before heading to London.
We got to the postgrad residence, a sizeable ten-floor structure on the Manhattan's Upper West Side named International House. After dropping our bags, we headed straight to the dining hall, where we got some food, sat down, and started talking to other diners.
Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man studying engineering at a prestigious New York university. He asked me what I did, and I shared that I had newly finished with a science degree and had been working on studies with electron microscopy.
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 proposed that I should apply for a job with them. I dismissed the idea, telling him that I was heading off to Europe and, additionally, I didn’t have a US visa.
The next day I went out exploring, returning to the canteen that after dark. The man from Iraq came up to me and told me that he had arranged an interview for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Since he had taken the effort, I attended the interview – but straight off informed my prospective employer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
In typical New York fashion – a place where everything seems achievable – she said: “That can be arranged. How soon can you begin?” I never got on that flight to London.
I was employed there for 36 months. One of the benefits was that I also received complimentary education at Columbia, and I took advantage to complete a graduate degree in global studies.
We didn't cross paths after that and I am unaware of his identity, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in so many ways. I would never have had the confidence or self-assurance to approach someone at an elite institution and ask for a job. Moreover, I had long dreamed to pursue education overseas, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that free tuition.
What's more, that role at the university led me to a role in Europe where I met my handsome spouse from France, with whom I am raising four wonderful sons and daughters. This was a pivotal life event. That kind stranger set me on a different course in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
What is the Nicest Thing a Stranger Has Once Performed for You?
From cheering you up to transforming your future, we are interested in unexpected interactions that have remained in your memory.
Feel free to recount your experience if you are an adult, without revealing your identity if you choose. Your responses are protected, and are intended for the goal of sharing inspiring stories.
