During the closing decade of the 80s, I was beginning a backpacking trip to Europe with a friend. Since my companion was interested in enrolling in graduate studies in the Big Apple, we had booked a two-week stay there before heading to London.
We got to the graduate housing, a sizeable 10-storey building on the Upper West Side known as International House. Setting down our luggage, we headed straight to the cafeteria, where we got some food, took a seat, and began chatting with people eating there.
Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man pursuing an engineering degree at a prestigious New York university. He wanted to know what I did, and I told him that I had newly finished with a scientific background and had been performing experiments involving microscopic analysis.
He mentioned that there was an electron microscope unit at the institution – adjacent to the engineering department, which was why he was aware of it. He suggested that I ought to seek a position with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, saying that I was about to fly to Europe and, more critically, I lacked a US visa.
The next day I went out exploring, coming back to the dining hall that after dark. The engineering student approached me and let me know that he had arranged an interview 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 host that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was probably wasting her time.
In typical New York fashion – a place where anything feels possible – she declared: “That can be arranged. When can you start?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I held that position for three years. An advantage of the role was that I got complimentary education at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to finish a postgrad program in international relations.
We didn't cross paths after that and I don’t even know his full name, but his selfless gesture changed my life in multiple respects. I didn't possess the courage or self-belief to reach out at an Ivy League university and seek a position. And, I had long dreamed to pursue education overseas, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that tuition waiver.
Critically, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a position in Switzerland where I got to know my wonderful partner, with whom I now have four amazing children. It was a total sliding doors moment. That kind stranger changed my trajectory in life, and I’m forever grateful.
What is the Nicest Thing a Stranger Has Once Performed for You?
From making your day to altering your path, we are interested in random meetings that have remained in your memory.
We invite you to tell us if you are 18 or over, without revealing your identity if you wish. The stories you tell are secure, and are intended for the aim of this article.
