During the final years of the 1980s, I set out on a backpacking trip to Europe with a travel partner. Since my travel mate was considering starting a postgraduate program in NYC, we had booked a fortnight visit there en route to London.
We got to the postgrad residence, a sizeable 10-storey building on the Manhattan's Upper West Side called International House. Setting down our luggage, we went directly to the canteen, where we grabbed food, took a seat, and began chatting with fellow residents.
Adjacent to my seat was an individual of Iraqi origin studying engineering at an Ivy League institution. He wanted to know what I did for a living, and I told him that I had recently completed my studies with a science degree and had been working on studies with electron microscopy.
He mentioned that there was an research lab at the university – close to the school of engineering, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He recommended that I ought to seek a position with them. I dismissed the idea, explaining that I was about to fly to Europe and, more critically, I didn’t have a US visa.
The next day I ventured out, coming back to the dining hall that evening. The man from Iraq approached me and let me know that he had set up a meeting for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Because he had gone to the trouble, I went to the meeting – but right away informed my interviewer that I was without a work permit, so I was probably wasting her time.
In typical New York fashion – a place where opportunities abound – she said: “We can make that happen. When can you start?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I was employed there for three years. An advantage of the role was that I was granted complimentary education at Columbia, and I seized the chance to finish a master’s of international affairs.
I lost touch with him and I can't recall his full name, but his incredible act of kindness altered my destiny in numerous aspects. I didn't possess the bravery or self-assurance to approach someone at an elite institution and request employment. And, I had consistently hoped 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 met my handsome spouse from France, with whom I now have four amazing children. That encounter altered everything. That helpful person set me on a different course in life, and I’m forever grateful.
Can you recall the Nicest Thing a Unknown Person Has Ever Done for You?
Whether it's brightening your mood to changing your life, we would love to know random meetings that have remained in your memory.
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