In the late 1980s, I was embarking on a low-cost journey to Europe with a travel partner. Because my friend was exploring enrolling in graduate studies in NYC, we had arranged a two-week stay there on the way to London.
We got to the postgrad residence, a big 10-storey building on the Upper West Side known as International House. After dropping our bags, we went directly to the cafeteria, where we got some food, sat down, and engaged in conversation with fellow residents.
Adjacent to my seat was an individual of Iraqi origin enrolled in an engineering program at an Ivy League institution. He wanted to know what I did for a living, and I explained that I had recently completed my studies with a degree in science and had been performing experiments with electron microscopy.
He mentioned that there was an microscopy facility at the institution – close to the engineering faculty, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He suggested that I ought to seek a job with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, telling him that I was about to fly to Europe and, more critically, I didn’t have a US visa.
A day later I toured the city, returning to the canteen that night. The man from Iraq came up to me and informed me that he had set up a meeting for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Since he had made the arrangement, I attended the interview – but immediately informed my host that I was without a work permit, so I was probably wasting her time.
As is common in NYC – a city where opportunities abound – she said: “We'll handle it. What's your start date?” I never got on that flight to London.
I worked there for three years. One of the benefits was that I was granted complimentary education at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to complete a postgrad program in international relations.
We didn't cross paths after that and I am unaware of his name, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in multiple respects. I would never have had the bravery or self-assurance to reach out at an prestigious college and ask for a job. Moreover, I had consistently hoped to study abroad, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that free tuition.
Critically, that job in New York paved the way for a role in Europe where I got to know my wonderful partner, with whom I currently share a family of four kids. That encounter altered everything. That benevolent individual changed my trajectory in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
Can you recall the Most Generous Act a Someone You Didn't Know Has Ever Done for You?
Whether it's cheering you up to altering your path, we would love to know chance encounters that have stuck with you.
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