During the final years of the 1980s, I was embarking on a backpacking trip to the European continent with a companion. Because my companion was considering starting a postgraduate program in NYC, we had arranged a 14-day stopover there en route to London.
We reached the student accommodation, a big ten-floor structure on the UWS named International House. Setting down our luggage, we made our way to the dining hall, where we picked up meals, sat down, and began chatting with people eating there.
Sitting next to me was an gentleman from Iraq enrolled in an engineering program at an Ivy League institution. He wanted to know what I did for a living, and I explained that I had recently completed my studies with a degree in science and had been performing experiments using an electron microscope.
He mentioned that there was an electron microscope unit at the university – right next door to the engineering department, which was how he knew about it. He recommended that I should apply for a role with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, saying that I was about to fly to Europe and, even more importantly, I did not possess a US visa.
The next day I went out exploring, going back to the cafeteria that after dark. The engineering student came up to me and informed me that he had set up a meeting for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Since he had made the arrangement, I showed up for the discussion – but immediately explained to my interviewer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
In typical New York fashion – a metropolis where opportunities abound – she said: “We'll handle it. What's your start date?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I was employed there for 36 months. An advantage of the role was that I got no-cost classes at Columbia, and I seized the chance to earn a graduate degree in global studies.
We didn't cross paths after that and I am unaware of his name, but his selfless gesture changed my life in multiple respects. I didn't possess the confidence or self-belief to approach someone at an elite institution and request employment. Moreover, I had consistently hoped to pursue education overseas, but could never have afforded it without that educational benefit.
Critically, that role at the university paved the way for a role in Europe where I got to know my beautiful French husband, with whom I currently share a family of four kids. It was a total sliding doors moment. That helpful person changed my trajectory in life, and I’m forever grateful.
Can you recall the Most Generous Act a Someone You Didn't Know Has Shown for You?
Whether it's brightening your mood to altering your path, we would love to know random meetings that have stuck with you.
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