In the late 1980s, I was embarking on a low-cost journey to Europe with a friend. Because my friend was considering enrolling in graduate studies in the Big Apple, we had arranged a two-week stay there on the way to London.
We got to the postgrad residence, a large 10-storey building on the UWS named International House. Setting down our luggage, we went directly to the canteen, where we got some food, took a seat, and engaged in conversation with other diners.
Sitting next to me was an gentleman from Iraq enrolled in an engineering program at an Ivy League institution. He asked me what I did, and I explained that I had just graduated with a scientific background and had been conducting research using an electron microscope.
He mentioned that there was an microscopy facility at the university – right next door to the school of engineering, which was why he was aware of it. He recommended that I should apply for a position with them. I laughed it off, explaining that I was about to fly to Europe and, additionally, I lacked a US visa.
The following day I toured the city, coming back to the dining hall that evening. The man from Iraq came up to me and let me know that he had set up a meeting for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Because he had gone to the trouble, I attended the interview – but immediately explained to my host that I didn’t have a visa, so I was unable to accept the role.
As is common in NYC – a city where anything feels possible – she responded: “We'll handle it. When can you start?” I missed my plane to London.
I worked there for 36 months. An advantage of the role was that I was granted no-cost classes at Columbia, and I seized the chance to finish a graduate degree in global studies.
We didn't cross paths after that and I can't recall his full name, but his selfless gesture transformed my future in multiple respects. I lacked the bravery or self-assurance to reach out at an prestigious college and ask for a job. And, I had long dreamed to take classes in another country, but lacked the financial means without that tuition waiver.
Perhaps most importantly, that gig at Columbia resulted in a job in Zurich where I got to know my wonderful partner, with whom I currently share a family of four kids. It was a total sliding doors moment. That helpful person redirected my path in life, and I’m forever grateful.
Can you recall the Most Generous Act a Stranger Has Shown for You?
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