During the final years of the 1980s, I was beginning a budget travel adventure to Europe with a companion. Because my travel mate was exploring enrolling in graduate studies in New York, we had planned a two-week stay there before heading to London.
We arrived at the graduate housing, a big 10-storey building on the Upper West Side called International House. Once we unpacked, we headed straight to the dining hall, where we picked up meals, took a seat, and started talking to fellow residents.
Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man pursuing an engineering degree at an Ivy League institution. He inquired what I my profession was, and I explained that I had just graduated with a science degree and had been working on studies with electron microscopy.
He mentioned that there was an microscopy facility at the institution – close to the engineering department, which was why he was aware of it. He suggested that I ought to seek a job with them. I laughed it off, explaining that I was about to fly to Europe and, additionally, I did not possess a US visa.
The following day I ventured out, going back to the cafeteria that night. The Iraqi student approached me and told me that he had arranged an interview for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Given that he had taken the effort, I showed up for the discussion – but right away explained to my prospective employer that I was without a work permit, so I was unable to accept the role.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a metropolis where opportunities abound – she said: “We'll handle it. When can you start?” I never got on that flight to London.
I held that position for three years. An advantage of the role was that I got no-cost classes at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to finish a graduate degree in global studies.
I lost touch with him and I can't recall his identity, but his selfless gesture changed my life in numerous aspects. I lacked the courage or self-belief to reach out at an elite institution and seek a position. Moreover, I had consistently hoped to take classes in another country, but could never have afforded it without that tuition waiver.
Perhaps most importantly, that job in New York paved the way for a job in Zurich where I encountered my beautiful French husband, with whom I am raising a family of four kids. That encounter altered everything. That kind stranger changed my trajectory in life, and I’m forever grateful.
Can you recall the Nicest Thing a Stranger Has Shown for You?
From making your day to altering your path, we are interested in unexpected interactions that have remained in your memory.
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