During the closing decade of the 80s, I set out on a backpacking trip to the European continent with a friend. Because my travel mate was considering pursuing a master’s degree in New York, we had planned a fortnight visit there en route to London.
We reached the postgrad residence, a big 10-storey building on the UWS called International House. Setting down our luggage, we made our way to the cafeteria, where we got some food, found a table, and engaged in conversation with fellow residents.
Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man studying engineering at an Ivy League institution. He wanted to know what I did for a living, and I told him that I had recently completed my studies with a science degree and had been performing experiments using an electron microscope.
He pointed out that there was an research lab at Columbia University – right next door to the school of engineering, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He recommended that I consider applying for a job with them. I dismissed the idea, explaining that I was soon departing to Europe and, even more importantly, I did not possess a US visa.
A day later I toured the city, going back to the cafeteria that evening. The man from Iraq approached me and told me 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 told my prospective employer that I was without a work permit, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
In typical New York fashion – a place where anything feels possible – she declared: “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. A perk of the job was that I got no-cost classes at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to earn a graduate degree in global studies.
We didn't cross paths after that and I can't recall his full name, but his remarkable generosity transformed my future in multiple respects. I didn't possess the courage or nerve to approach someone at an elite institution and seek a position. And, I had consistently hoped 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 role in Europe where I encountered my beautiful French husband, with whom I am raising four wonderful sons and daughters. That encounter altered everything. That helpful person changed my trajectory in life, and I’m forever grateful.
What is the Most Generous Act a Stranger Has Ever Done for You?
Whether it's brightening your mood to altering your path, we are interested in random meetings that have stuck with you.
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