During the late 1980s, I was embarking on a backpacking trip to the European continent with a friend. Because my companion was interested in starting a postgraduate program in the Big Apple, we had booked a 14-day stopover there on the way to London.
We got to the postgrad residence, a sizeable 10-storey building on the Manhattan's Upper West Side named International House. Setting down our luggage, we headed straight to the canteen, where we grabbed food, took a seat, and began chatting with fellow residents.
Sitting next to me was an individual of Iraqi origin enrolled in an engineering program at Columbia University. He inquired what I did for a living, and I shared that I had recently completed my studies with a scientific background and had been performing experiments using an electron microscope.
He pointed out that there was an electron microscope unit at the university – right next door to the engineering department, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He recommended that I ought to seek a position with them. I dismissed the idea, telling him 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, returning to the canteen that night. The man from Iraq came up to me and let me know that he had set up a meeting for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Since he had made the arrangement, I attended the interview – but straight off told my prospective employer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was probably wasting her time.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a city where anything feels possible – she responded: “That can be arranged. When can you start?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I worked there for a trio of years. One of the benefits was that I got free tuition at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to complete a postgrad program in international relations.
I lost touch with him and I don’t even know his name, but his incredible act of kindness changed my life in multiple respects. I didn't possess the bravery or nerve to approach someone at an prestigious college and seek a position. And, I had always wanted to take classes in another country, but lacked the financial means without that free tuition.
Perhaps most importantly, that role at the university resulted in a position in Switzerland where I encountered my handsome spouse from France, with whom I now have a family of four kids. It was a total sliding doors moment. That helpful person changed my trajectory in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
Can you recall the Nicest Thing a Someone You Didn't Know Has Ever Done for You?
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