In the late 1980s, I was embarking on a backpacking trip to the European continent with a friend. Because my friend was exploring pursuing a master’s degree in the Big Apple, we had booked a two-week stay there en route to London.
We reached the student accommodation, a big ten-floor structure on the Upper West Side named International House. Setting down our luggage, we headed straight to the canteen, where we picked up meals, took a seat, and started talking to other diners.
Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man pursuing an engineering degree at a prestigious New York university. He asked me what I did for a living, and I shared that I had just graduated with a scientific background and had been performing experiments using an electron microscope.
He mentioned that there was an microscopy facility at the institution – right next door to the engineering department, which was how he knew about it. He suggested that I ought to seek a role with them. I laughed it off, saying that I was about to fly to Europe and, even more importantly, I lacked a US visa.
The following day I went out exploring, going back to the cafeteria that night. The engineering student approached me and informed me that he had set up a meeting for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Because he had taken the effort, I went to the meeting – but right away explained to my prospective employer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was probably wasting her time.
In typical New York fashion – a metropolis where anything feels possible – she said: “That can be arranged. When can you start?” I never got on that flight to London.
I held that position for 36 months. An advantage of the role was that I got complimentary education at Columbia, and I seized the chance to earn a master’s of international affairs.
We didn't cross paths after that and I can't recall his name, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in numerous aspects. I would never have had the confidence or self-belief to reach out at an elite institution and ask for a job. Moreover, I had always wanted to study abroad, but lacked the financial means without that educational benefit.
Perhaps most importantly, that job in New York paved the way for a role in Europe where I encountered my handsome spouse from France, with whom I am raising a family of four kids. It was a total sliding doors moment. That benevolent individual redirected my path in life, and I’m always appreciative.
Can you recall the Kindest Gesture a Unknown Person Has Shown for You?
Whether it's brightening your mood to altering your path, we are interested in unexpected interactions that have remained in your memory.
Feel free to recount your experience if you are of legal age, keeping your details private if you wish. The stories you tell are secure, and will only be used the aim of this article.
