During the final years of the 1980s, I was beginning a low-cost journey to Europe with a companion. Since my travel mate was interested in starting a postgraduate program in NYC, we had booked a fortnight visit there before heading to London.
We arrived at the student accommodation, a large ten-floor structure on the UWS called International House. After dropping our bags, we went directly to the canteen, where we grabbed food, found a table, and started talking to people eating there.
Beside me was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at a prestigious New York university. He inquired what I did for a living, and I told him that I had newly finished with a degree in science and had been working on studies using an electron microscope.
He noted that there was an electron microscope unit at the institution – close to the engineering department, which was why he was aware of it. He suggested that I should apply for a role with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, telling him that I was heading off to Europe and, even more importantly, I did not possess a US visa.
The following day I toured the city, going back to the cafeteria that after dark. The man from Iraq walked over to me and let me know that he had set up a meeting 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 host that I was without a work permit, so I was probably wasting her time.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a city where anything feels possible – she said: “That can be arranged. When can you start?” I missed my plane to London.
I worked there for three years. One of the benefits was that I got free tuition at Columbia, and I seized the chance to complete a graduate degree in global studies.
I never saw that student again and I don’t even know his name, but his selfless gesture transformed my future in so many ways. I would never have had the bravery or self-assurance to reach out at an elite institution and ask for a job. Moreover, I had long dreamed to take classes in another country, but lacked the financial means without that educational benefit.
What's more, that role at the university paved the way for a position in Switzerland where I encountered my wonderful partner, with whom I currently share four amazing children. It was a total sliding doors moment. That helpful person redirected my path in life, and I’m always appreciative.
What is the Nicest Thing a Unknown Person Has Once Performed for You?
From making your day to changing your life, we are interested in chance encounters that have left a lasting impression.
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