During the closing decade of the 80s, I set out on a low-cost journey to Europe with a travel partner. Because my companion was exploring pursuing a master’s degree in the Big Apple, we had arranged a fortnight visit there before heading to London.
We reached the student accommodation, a large 10-storey building on the Upper West Side named International House. Setting down our luggage, we headed straight to the dining hall, where we picked up meals, took a seat, and began chatting with fellow residents.
Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at an Ivy League institution. He inquired what I my profession was, and I told him that I had recently completed my studies with a scientific background and had been working on studies involving microscopic analysis.
He mentioned that there was an electron microscope unit at the institution – close to the school of engineering, which was how he knew about it. He suggested that I consider applying for a job with them. I dismissed the idea, saying that I was heading off to Europe and, more critically, I didn’t have a US visa.
The following day I ventured out, going back to the cafeteria 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. Since he had made the arrangement, I attended the interview – but immediately informed my interviewer that I was without a work permit, so I was probably wasting her time.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a city where opportunities abound – she responded: “We'll handle it. How soon can you begin?” I never got on that flight to London.
I worked there for 36 months. A perk of the job was that I got no-cost classes at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to earn 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 altered my destiny in multiple respects. I didn't possess the bravery or nerve to approach someone at an prestigious college and ask for a job. And, I had consistently hoped to take classes in another country, 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 job in Zurich where I encountered my beautiful French husband, with whom I am raising four wonderful sons and daughters. This was a pivotal life event. That kind stranger set me on a different course in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
What is the Most Generous Act a Stranger Has Once Performed for You?
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