In the closing decade of the 80s, I was embarking on a backpacking trip to the European continent with a companion. Since my travel mate was considering pursuing a master’s degree in the Big Apple, we had planned a two-week stay there before heading to London.
We arrived at the student accommodation, a big 10-storey building on the Manhattan's Upper West Side named International House. Once we unpacked, we headed straight to the cafeteria, where we grabbed food, sat down, and began chatting with other diners.
Beside me was an Iraqi man studying engineering at an Ivy League institution. He asked me what I my profession was, and I explained that I had recently completed my studies with a science degree and had been performing experiments involving microscopic analysis.
He pointed out that there was an electron microscope unit at the university – close to the engineering faculty, which was why he was aware of it. He suggested that I ought to seek a position with them. I laughed it off, telling him that I was heading off to Europe and, even more importantly, I lacked a US visa.
A day later I toured the city, returning to the canteen that evening. The engineering student came up to me and informed me that he had arranged an interview for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Since he had made the arrangement, I attended the interview – but straight off explained to my interviewer that I was without a work permit, so I was probably wasting her time.
In typical New York fashion – a metropolis where anything feels possible – she declared: “We'll handle it. When can you start?” I missed my plane to London.
I was employed there for three years. One of the benefits was that I got free tuition at Columbia, and I took advantage to complete a master’s of international affairs.
We didn't cross paths after that and I am unaware of his name, but his remarkable generosity altered my destiny in multiple respects. I would never have had the courage or self-assurance to reach out at an prestigious college and seek a position. Additionally, I had long dreamed to study abroad, but could never have afforded it without that tuition waiver.
Perhaps most importantly, that job in New York led me to a job in Zurich where I encountered my beautiful French husband, with whom I now have four wonderful sons and daughters. It was a total sliding doors moment. That helpful person changed my trajectory in life, and I’m forever grateful.
Can you recall the Nicest Thing a Stranger 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.
Please share your story if you are of legal age, keeping your details private if you prefer. Your responses are secure, and are solely for the purpose of this feature.
