In the closing decade of the 80s, I was embarking on a low-cost journey to Europe with a travel partner. Because my friend was considering enrolling in graduate studies in New York, we had arranged a two-week stay there en route to London.
We got to the student accommodation, a big 10-storey building on the Manhattan's Upper West Side named International House. Once we unpacked, we headed straight to the cafeteria, where we picked up meals, sat down, and started talking to other diners.
Beside me was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at a prestigious New York university. He inquired what I did for a living, and I shared 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 research lab at the institution – right next door to the engineering faculty, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He proposed that I ought to seek a position with them. I dismissed the idea, telling him that I was heading off to Europe and, additionally, I didn’t have a US visa.
The next day I toured the city, going back to the cafeteria that evening. The man from Iraq walked over to me and told me that he had organized a discussion for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Because he had taken the effort, I showed up for the discussion – but immediately explained to my prospective employer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
As is common in NYC – a city where anything feels possible – she said: “We'll handle it. When can you start?” I never got on that flight to London.
I worked there for 36 months. An advantage of the role was that I was granted free tuition at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to complete a master’s of international affairs.
We didn't cross paths after that and I can't recall his full name, but his selfless gesture transformed my future in multiple respects. I lacked the bravery or self-assurance to reach out at an Ivy League university and ask for a job. Additionally, I had long dreamed to pursue education overseas, but could never have afforded it without that educational benefit.
Critically, that job in New York led me to a position in Switzerland where I got to know my handsome spouse from France, with whom I currently share four wonderful sons and daughters. That encounter altered everything. That helpful person changed my trajectory in life, and I’m always appreciative.
What is the Kindest Gesture a Stranger Has Ever Done for You?
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