In the closing decade of the 80s, I set out on a budget travel adventure to Europe with a travel partner. Because my companion was interested in starting a postgraduate program in the Big Apple, we had planned a 14-day stopover there before heading to London.
We reached the student accommodation, a sizeable multi-story edifice on the Manhattan's Upper West Side named International House. Once we unpacked, we headed straight to the dining hall, where we grabbed food, took a seat, and engaged in conversation with other diners.
Sitting next to me was an individual of Iraqi origin studying engineering at a prestigious New York university. He asked me what I did for a living, and I told him that I had just graduated with a science degree and had been conducting research with electron microscopy.
He pointed out that there was an microscopy facility at the university – adjacent to the engineering department, which was how he knew about it. He suggested that I should apply for a role with them. I dismissed the idea, explaining that I was soon departing to Europe and, additionally, I didn’t have a US visa.
The following day I toured the city, going back to the cafeteria that after dark. The engineering student walked over to me and told me that he had organized a discussion for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Given that he had taken the effort, I showed up for the discussion – but straight off explained to my interviewer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was unable to accept the role.
As is common in NYC – a metropolis where opportunities abound – she declared: “We'll handle it. What's your start date?” I missed my plane to London.
I worked there 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 finish a postgrad program in international relations.
I lost touch with him and I don’t even know his name, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in multiple respects. I didn't possess the confidence or self-assurance to reach out at an Ivy League university and ask for a job. Moreover, I had always wanted to study abroad, but could never have afforded it without that educational benefit.
What's more, that role at the university paved the way for a job in Zurich where I met my handsome spouse from France, with whom I now have four amazing children. This was a pivotal life event. That helpful person set me on a different course in life, and I’m always appreciative.
What is the Most Generous Act a Someone You Didn't Know Has Once Performed for You?
From cheering you up to transforming your future, we are interested in chance encounters that have left a lasting impression.
We invite you to tell us if you are 18 or over, without revealing your identity if you choose. The stories you tell are confidential, and are intended for the purpose of this feature.
