In the late 1980s, I set out on a low-cost journey to the European continent with a travel partner. Because my companion was interested in pursuing a master’s degree in New York, we had booked a 14-day stopover there en route to London.
We got to the postgrad residence, a sizeable ten-floor structure on the Manhattan's Upper West Side named International House. After dropping our bags, we headed straight to the dining hall, where we picked up meals, sat down, and began chatting with fellow residents.
Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at Columbia University. He asked me what I did for a living, and I explained that I had recently completed my studies with a science degree and had been conducting research using an electron microscope.
He mentioned that there was an microscopy facility at the institution – right next door to the engineering department, which was why he was aware of it. He suggested that I ought to seek a role with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, explaining that I was heading off to Europe and, even more importantly, I did not possess a US visa.
The next day I ventured out, going back to the cafeteria that evening. The man from Iraq approached me and told me that he had arranged an interview for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Given that he had taken the effort, I went to the meeting – but immediately told my host that I didn’t have a visa, so I was unable to accept the role.
In typical New York fashion – a place where everything seems achievable – she responded: “We can make that happen. When can you start?” I missed my plane to London.
I was employed there for a trio of 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.
I lost touch with him and I don’t even know his identity, but his remarkable generosity transformed my future in multiple respects. I didn't possess the courage or nerve to approach someone at an Ivy League university and request employment. Additionally, I had consistently hoped to take classes in another country, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that educational benefit.
What's more, that gig at Columbia led me to a role in Europe where I encountered my handsome spouse from France, with whom I am raising a family of four kids. That encounter altered everything. That benevolent individual set me on a different course in life, and I’m forever grateful.
Can you recall the Nicest Thing a Stranger Has Shown for You?
From brightening your mood to transforming your future, we are interested in chance encounters that have left a lasting impression.
Feel free to recount your experience if you are of legal age, without revealing your identity if you wish. The stories you tell are confidential, and will only be used the aim of this article.