In the closing decade of the 80s, I set out on a low-cost journey to the European continent with a companion. Because my friend was interested in starting a postgraduate program in NYC, we had planned a two-week stay there en route to London.
We arrived at the graduate housing, a big multi-story edifice on the Upper West Side called International House. After dropping our bags, we made our way to the dining hall, where we grabbed food, found a table, and began chatting with fellow residents.
Beside me was an individual of Iraqi origin studying engineering at a prestigious New York 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 using an electron microscope.
He mentioned that there was an microscopy facility at the university – adjacent to the engineering department, which was how he knew about it. He proposed that I consider applying for a job with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, telling him that I was soon departing to Europe and, more critically, I didn’t have a US visa.
The following day I toured the city, coming back to the dining hall that after dark. 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. Because he had made the arrangement, I attended the interview – but right away told my host that I was without a work permit, so I was probably wasting her time.
In typical New York fashion – a metropolis where anything feels possible – she said: “We can make that happen. How soon can you begin?” I never got on that flight to London.
I worked there for three years. An advantage of the role was that I also received free tuition at Columbia, and I seized the chance to earn a master’s of international affairs.
We didn't cross paths after that and I don’t even know his full name, but his remarkable generosity altered my destiny in numerous aspects. I lacked the bravery or self-belief to approach someone at an Ivy League university and request employment. And, I had always wanted to take classes in another country, but could never have afforded it without that educational benefit.
Perhaps most importantly, that role at the university resulted in a role in Europe where I met my wonderful partner, with whom I am raising four amazing children. That encounter altered everything. That benevolent individual redirected my path in life, and I’m always appreciative.
What is the Most Generous Act a Someone You Didn't Know Has Once Performed for You?
From making your day to changing your life, we want to hear about unexpected interactions that have remained in your memory.
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