In the late 1980s, I set out on a budget travel adventure to Europe with a travel partner. Since my friend was interested in pursuing a master’s degree in the Big Apple, we had planned a two-week stay there en route to London.
We arrived at the graduate housing, a sizeable multi-story edifice on the Upper West Side named International House. Setting down our luggage, we went directly to the cafeteria, where we grabbed food, sat down, and engaged in conversation with other diners.
Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at an Ivy League institution. He inquired what I did, and I explained that I had just graduated with a science degree and had been performing experiments involving microscopic analysis.
He noted that there was an electron microscope unit at Columbia University – close to the engineering faculty, which was how he knew about it. He proposed that I consider applying for a position with them. I dismissed the idea, explaining that I was heading off to Europe and, more critically, I lacked a US visa.
A day later I ventured out, returning to the canteen that after dark. The man from Iraq approached me and told me that he had arranged an interview for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Because he had gone to the trouble, I went to the meeting – but immediately informed my interviewer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
In typical New York fashion – a metropolis where everything seems achievable – she declared: “We can make that happen. What's your start date?” I missed my plane to London.
I worked there for a trio of years. One of the benefits was that I also received no-cost classes at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to finish a master’s of international affairs.
We didn't cross paths after that and I can't recall his full name, but his incredible act of kindness transformed my future in so many ways. I lacked the courage or self-belief to contact anyone at an prestigious college and request employment. Moreover, I had long dreamed to pursue education overseas, but could never have afforded it without that free tuition.
What's more, that role at the university resulted in a role in Europe where I encountered my handsome spouse from France, with whom I am raising four amazing children. It was a total sliding doors moment. That benevolent individual changed my trajectory in life, and I’m always appreciative.
What is the Nicest Thing a Someone You Didn't Know Has Ever Done for You?
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