In the late 1980s, I was embarking on a budget travel adventure to the European continent with a companion. Because my travel mate was interested in starting a postgraduate program in NYC, we had arranged a 14-day stopover there before heading to London.
We arrived at the graduate housing, a large multi-story edifice on the Upper West Side named International House. After dropping our bags, we made our way to the canteen, where we grabbed food, took a seat, and started talking to other diners.
Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at an Ivy League institution. He asked me what I my profession was, and I told him that I had recently completed my studies with a degree in science and had been performing experiments with electron microscopy.
He noted that there was an electron microscope unit at the institution – close to the engineering faculty, which was how he knew about it. He proposed that I ought to seek a position with them. I laughed it off, telling him that I was soon departing to Europe and, additionally, I didn’t have a US visa.
The following day I went out exploring, going back to the cafeteria that evening. The engineering student walked over to me and told me that he had organized a discussion for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Given that he had made the arrangement, I attended the interview – but right away informed my prospective employer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was unable to accept the role.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a metropolis where everything seems achievable – she responded: “That can be arranged. When can you start?” I never got on that flight to London.
I was employed there for 36 months. One of the benefits was that I also received free tuition at Columbia, and I seized the chance to complete a master’s of international affairs.
We didn't cross paths after that and I don’t even know his identity, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in multiple respects. I didn't possess the courage or nerve to reach out at an Ivy League university and seek a position. Moreover, I had always wanted to take classes in another country, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that educational benefit.
Critically, that job in New York resulted in a position in Switzerland where I encountered my wonderful partner, with whom I now have four amazing children. This was a pivotal life event. That kind stranger redirected my path in life, and I’m forever grateful.
Can you recall the Most Generous Act a Stranger Has Shown 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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