During the final years of the 1980s, I set out on a low-cost journey to the European continent with a travel partner. Since my companion was exploring pursuing a master’s degree in New York, we had planned a 14-day stopover there en route to London.
We arrived at the student accommodation, a sizeable multi-story edifice on the UWS known as International House. Setting down our luggage, we headed straight to the canteen, where we grabbed food, took a seat, and engaged in conversation with other diners.
Beside me was an gentleman from Iraq studying engineering at Columbia University. He inquired what I did, and I shared that I had newly finished with a science degree and had been working on studies using an electron microscope.
He pointed out that there was an microscopy facility at the institution – adjacent to the engineering faculty, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He proposed that I consider applying for a job with them. I laughed it off, saying that I was about to fly to Europe and, additionally, I didn’t have a US visa.
The next day I went out exploring, coming back to the dining hall that evening. The Iraqi student walked over to me and told me that he had organized a discussion for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Since he had taken the effort, I attended the interview – but right away informed my host that I didn’t have a visa, so I was probably wasting her time.
In typical New York fashion – a city where anything feels possible – she said: “We'll handle it. What's your start date?” I missed my plane to London.
I held that position for three years. A perk of the job was that I was granted no-cost classes at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to complete a graduate degree in global studies.
We didn't cross paths after that and I am unaware of his full name, but his remarkable generosity altered my destiny in multiple respects. I would never have had the bravery or self-belief to approach someone at an prestigious college and request employment. And, I had long dreamed to pursue education overseas, but lacked the financial means without that free tuition.
Perhaps most importantly, that role at the university led me to a position in Switzerland where I got to know my beautiful French husband, with whom I now have four amazing children. That encounter altered everything. That kind stranger redirected my path in life, and I’m forever grateful.
Can you recall the Most Generous Act a Stranger Has Ever Done for You?
Whether it's cheering you up to altering your path, we want to hear about random meetings that have remained in your memory.
Feel free to recount your experience if you are an adult, without revealing your identity if you choose. The stories you tell are confidential, and are solely for the aim of this article.
