During the final years of the 1980s, I set out on a budget travel adventure to the European continent with a travel partner. Since my travel mate was interested in enrolling in graduate studies in the Big Apple, we had planned a two-week stay there before heading to London.
We reached the student accommodation, a big ten-floor structure on the UWS called International House. After dropping our bags, we made our way to the cafeteria, where we picked up meals, sat down, and began chatting with people eating there.
Beside me was an gentleman from Iraq studying engineering at an Ivy League institution. He wanted to know what I my profession was, and I told him that I had recently completed my studies with a degree in science and had been conducting research with electron microscopy.
He mentioned that there was an electron microscope unit at the institution – close to the engineering faculty, which was why he was aware of it. He recommended that I consider applying for a job with them. I laughed it off, explaining that I was about to fly to Europe and, even more importantly, I didn’t have a US visa.
The next day I toured the city, coming back to the dining hall that evening. The engineering student came up to me and informed me that he had set up a meeting for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Since he had gone to the trouble, I attended the interview – but immediately explained to my host that I was without a work permit, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
As is common in NYC – a place where anything feels possible – she declared: “That can be arranged. How soon can you begin?” I never got on that flight to London.
I held that position for a trio of years. A perk of the job was that I got no-cost classes at Columbia, and I seized the chance to earn a master’s of international affairs.
I lost touch with him and I am unaware of his name, but his incredible act of kindness transformed my future in numerous aspects. I would never have had the courage or self-assurance to approach someone at an prestigious college and ask for a job. Additionally, I had long dreamed to take classes in another country, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that free tuition.
Critically, that gig at Columbia led me to a role in Europe where I got to know my handsome spouse from France, with whom I am raising four wonderful sons and daughters. This was a pivotal life event. That benevolent individual redirected my path in life, and I’m always appreciative.
What is the Kindest Gesture a Unknown Person Has Ever Done for You?
Whether it's cheering you up to altering your path, we are interested in unexpected interactions that have stuck with you.
Feel free to recount your experience if you are 18 or over, without revealing your identity if you choose. The stories you tell are secure, and are solely for the aim of this article.
