In the closing decade of the 80s, I was embarking on a budget travel adventure to the European continent with a companion. Since my travel mate was interested in enrolling in graduate studies in the Big Apple, we had arranged a fortnight visit there on the way to London.
We arrived at the postgrad residence, a big ten-floor structure on the Manhattan's Upper West Side called International House. After dropping our bags, we made our way to the canteen, where we grabbed food, found a table, and started talking to other diners.
Beside me was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at a prestigious New York university. He asked me what I my profession was, and I told him that I had just graduated with a scientific background and had been performing experiments involving microscopic analysis.
He mentioned that there was an microscopy facility at the university – close to the school of engineering, which was why he was aware of it. He proposed that I consider applying for a position with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, saying that I was about to fly to Europe and, additionally, I didn’t have a US visa.
A day later I ventured out, coming back to the dining hall that evening. The engineering student came up to me and let me know that he had set up a meeting for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Because he had made the arrangement, I went to the meeting – but immediately told my host that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
In typical New York fashion – a city where everything seems achievable – she said: “We can make that happen. How soon can you begin?” I missed my plane 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 earn a graduate degree in global studies.
I lost touch with him and I am unaware of his name, but his selfless gesture transformed my future in so many ways. I would never have had the courage or self-belief to approach someone at an elite institution and ask for a job. And, I had always wanted to take classes in another country, but could never have afforded it without that educational benefit.
What's more, that gig at Columbia resulted in a position in Switzerland where I met my wonderful partner, with whom I am raising a family of four kids. That encounter altered everything. That kind stranger redirected my path in life, and I’m forever grateful.
What is the Nicest Thing a Stranger Has Shown for You?
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