In the late 1980s, I set out on a low-cost journey to the European continent with a travel partner. Since my travel mate was interested in enrolling in graduate studies in NYC, we had booked a fortnight visit there en route to London.
We reached the student accommodation, a sizeable ten-floor structure on the Manhattan's Upper West Side named International House. Setting down our luggage, we headed straight to the cafeteria, where we picked up meals, took a seat, and began chatting with fellow residents.
Adjacent to my seat was an gentleman from Iraq enrolled in an engineering program at a prestigious New York university. He asked me what I my profession was, and I shared that I had just graduated with a science degree and had been performing experiments with electron microscopy.
He pointed out that there was an microscopy facility at Columbia University – adjacent to the school of engineering, which was how he knew about it. He recommended that I should apply for a job with them. I laughed it off, saying that I was about to fly to Europe and, even more importantly, I lacked a US visa.
The following day I ventured out, going back to the cafeteria that after dark. The Iraqi student came up to me and told me that he had arranged an interview for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Since he had taken the effort, I attended the interview – but right away informed my interviewer that I was without a work permit, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a metropolis where opportunities abound – she declared: “We can make that happen. How soon can you begin?” I missed my plane to London.
I was employed there for a trio of years. One of the benefits was that I also received no-cost classes at Columbia, and I took advantage to finish a graduate degree in global studies.
I lost touch with him and I can't recall his name, but his remarkable generosity altered my destiny in so many ways. I would never have had the bravery or self-assurance to contact anyone at an elite institution and ask for a job. Additionally, I had consistently hoped to pursue education overseas, but could never have afforded it without that educational benefit.
What's more, that role at the university paved the way for a position in Switzerland where I got to know my wonderful partner, with whom I am raising 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 Most Generous Act a Stranger Has Ever Done for You?
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