During the late 1980s, I was beginning a backpacking trip to the European continent with a friend. Because my companion was exploring starting a postgraduate program in NYC, we had booked a two-week stay there before heading to London.
We got to the postgrad residence, a sizeable multi-story edifice on the Upper West Side known as International House. Setting down our luggage, we made our way to the dining hall, where we got some food, sat down, and started talking to other diners.
Beside me was an individual of Iraqi origin studying engineering at Columbia University. He wanted to know what I did for a living, and I told him that I had recently completed my studies with a degree in science and had been performing experiments using an electron microscope.
He noted that there was an electron microscope unit at the institution – right next door to the school of engineering, which was why he was aware of it. He suggested that I ought to seek a position 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.
The following day I toured the city, going back to the cafeteria that night. The man from Iraq approached me and let me know that he had arranged an interview for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Given that he had taken the effort, I showed up for the discussion – but immediately told my prospective employer that I was without a work permit, so I was probably wasting her time.
As is common in NYC – a metropolis where anything feels possible – she said: “We'll handle it. What's your start date?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I was employed there for a trio of years. A perk of the job was that I got complimentary education at Columbia, and I took advantage to finish a postgrad program in international relations.
We didn't cross paths after that and I am unaware of his full name, but his remarkable generosity transformed my future in numerous aspects. I would never have had the bravery or self-assurance to reach out at an Ivy League university and request employment. Moreover, I had always wanted to pursue education overseas, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it 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 currently share a family of four kids. It was a total sliding doors moment. That kind stranger redirected my path in life, and I’m always appreciative.
Can you recall the Most Generous Act a Unknown Person Has Shown for You?
Whether it's brightening your mood to transforming your future, we would love to know chance encounters that have remained in your memory.
Feel free to recount your experience if you are of legal age, without revealing your identity if you choose. What you share are confidential, and are intended for the aim of this article.
