During the closing decade of the 80s, I set out on a backpacking trip to Europe with a companion. Because my friend was interested in pursuing a master’s degree in NYC, we had booked a fortnight visit there en route to London.
We arrived at the student accommodation, a sizeable multi-story edifice on the Manhattan's Upper West Side named International House. Once we unpacked, we went directly to the canteen, where we grabbed food, took a seat, and engaged in conversation with other diners.
Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at a prestigious New York university. He asked me what I did, and I shared that I had just graduated with a degree in science and had been performing experiments involving microscopic analysis.
He mentioned that there was an electron microscope unit at the institution – right next door to the engineering faculty, which was how he knew about it. He recommended that I ought to seek a job with them. I dismissed the idea, telling him that I was heading off to Europe and, even more importantly, I lacked a US visa.
The next day I went out exploring, coming back to the dining hall that evening. The engineering student approached me and informed me that he had arranged an interview for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Given that he had gone to the trouble, I went to the meeting – but straight off informed my host that I was without a work permit, so I was probably wasting her time.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a place where everything seems achievable – she responded: “We can make that happen. How soon can you begin?” 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 seized the chance to complete a postgrad program in international relations.
We didn't cross paths after that and I am unaware of his identity, but his selfless gesture changed my life in multiple respects. I would never have had the bravery or self-belief to reach out at an elite institution and seek a position. Additionally, I had always wanted to study abroad, but could never have afforded it without that tuition waiver.
What's more, that job in New York led me to a role in Europe where I got to know my beautiful French husband, with whom I am raising four amazing children. That encounter altered everything. That helpful person redirected my path in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
Can you recall the Most Generous Act a Stranger Has Once Performed for You?
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