In the closing decade of the 80s, I was embarking on a budget travel adventure to Europe with a companion. Because my friend was interested in starting a postgraduate program in the Big Apple, we had arranged a 14-day stopover there on the way to London.
We arrived at the graduate housing, a big ten-floor structure on the Upper West Side named International House. After dropping our bags, we made our way to the cafeteria, where we grabbed food, found a table, and engaged in conversation with fellow residents.
Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at an Ivy League institution. He asked me what I did, and I explained that I had newly finished with a science degree and had been working on studies using an electron microscope.
He mentioned that there was an microscopy facility at the university – close to the engineering faculty, which was how he knew about it. He proposed that I ought to seek a role with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, telling him that I was soon departing to Europe and, additionally, I did not possess a US visa.
The following day I went out exploring, coming back to the dining hall that evening. The engineering student walked over to 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 gone to the trouble, I went to the meeting – but right away explained to my prospective employer that I was without a work permit, so I was unable to accept the role.
As is common in NYC – a city where opportunities abound – she responded: “That can be arranged. What's your start date?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I held that position for a trio of years. One of the benefits was that I also received no-cost classes at Columbia, and I took advantage to earn a postgrad program in international relations.
I never saw that student again and I don’t even know his identity, but his remarkable generosity transformed my future in so many ways. I didn't possess the confidence or nerve to contact anyone 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 free tuition.
What's more, that job in New York led me to a role in Europe where I met my handsome spouse from France, with whom I now have four amazing children. This was a pivotal life event. That kind stranger set me on a different course in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
Can you recall the Kindest Gesture a Unknown Person Has Ever Done for You?
Whether it's brightening your mood to changing your life, we would love to know unexpected interactions that have left a lasting impression.
Feel free to recount your experience if you are 18 or over, anonymously if you wish. Your responses are secure, and are intended for the purpose of this feature.
