In the final years of the 1980s, I was beginning a backpacking trip to Europe with a companion. Since my travel mate was considering starting a postgraduate program in the Big Apple, we had arranged a fortnight visit there on the way to London.
We arrived at the student accommodation, a large ten-floor structure on the UWS known as International House. After dropping our bags, we went directly to the dining hall, where we picked up meals, sat down, and started talking to people eating there.
Sitting next to me was an gentleman from Iraq studying engineering at Columbia University. He inquired what I my profession was, and I explained that I had newly finished with a scientific background and had been conducting research with electron microscopy.
He noted that there was an microscopy facility at the institution – close to the engineering department, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He suggested that I should apply for a position with them. I dismissed the idea, saying that I was about to fly to Europe and, additionally, I did not possess a US visa.
A day later I toured the city, returning to the canteen that evening. The Iraqi student approached me and told me that he had organized a discussion for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Because he had gone to the trouble, I went to the meeting – but immediately explained to my prospective employer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
As is common in NYC – a place where anything feels possible – she declared: “We can make that happen. How soon can you begin?” I never got on that flight to London.
I was employed there for three years. A perk of the job was that I was granted complimentary education at Columbia, and I took advantage to complete a master’s of international affairs.
I lost touch with him and I don’t even know his name, but his remarkable generosity altered my destiny in multiple respects. I would never have had the courage or nerve to reach out at an elite institution and request employment. Additionally, I had long dreamed to take classes in another country, but lacked the financial means without that educational benefit.
What's more, that job in New York paved the way for a job in Zurich where I met my wonderful partner, with whom I currently share a family of four kids. It was a total sliding doors moment. That benevolent individual set me on a different course in life, and I’m always appreciative.
Can you recall the Nicest Thing a Unknown Person Has Once Performed for You?
From making your day to altering your path, we want to hear about random meetings that have left a lasting impression.
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