In the late 1980s, I was beginning a backpacking trip to the European continent with a friend. Because my companion was exploring enrolling in graduate studies in the Big Apple, we had arranged a two-week stay there before heading to London.
We reached the postgrad residence, a large multi-story edifice on the Manhattan's Upper West Side named International House. Once we unpacked, we went directly to the canteen, where we picked up meals, sat down, and began chatting with other diners.
Beside me was an gentleman from Iraq pursuing an engineering degree at Columbia University. He inquired what I did for a living, and I told him that I had just graduated with a scientific background and had been working on studies with electron microscopy.
He mentioned that there was an microscopy facility at the institution – adjacent to the engineering department, which was how he knew about it. He suggested that I consider applying for a job with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, telling him that I was heading off to Europe and, even more importantly, I didn’t have a US visa.
A day later I toured the city, returning to the canteen that after dark. The man from Iraq 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. Because he had taken the effort, I showed up for the discussion – but right away informed my interviewer that I was without a work permit, so I was unable to accept the role.
In typical New York fashion – a metropolis where anything feels possible – she declared: “We can make that happen. When can you start?” I never got on that flight to London.
I was employed there for three years. One of the benefits was that I got no-cost classes at Columbia, and I seized the chance to earn a postgrad program in international relations.
I never saw that student again and I can't recall his full name, but his selfless gesture changed my life in multiple respects. I didn't possess the bravery or nerve to reach out at an elite institution and request employment. Moreover, I had always wanted to take classes in another country, but lacked the financial means without that free tuition.
Critically, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a role in Europe where I encountered my wonderful partner, with whom I now have four amazing children. It was a total sliding doors moment. That kind stranger set me on a different course in life, and I’m forever grateful.
Can you recall the Most Generous Act a Unknown Person Has Once Performed for You?
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