During the closing decade of the 80s, I set out on a low-cost journey to Europe with a friend. Since my friend was considering enrolling in graduate studies in New York, we had planned a fortnight visit there on the way to London.
We arrived at the postgrad residence, a large ten-floor structure on the Upper West Side called International House. After dropping our bags, we went directly to the canteen, where we picked up meals, took a seat, and started talking to people eating there.
Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man studying engineering at an Ivy League institution. He wanted to know what I did for a living, and I shared that I had recently completed my studies with a science degree and had been working on studies with electron microscopy.
He noted that there was an microscopy facility at the institution – adjacent to the engineering faculty, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He recommended that I ought to seek a position with them. I dismissed the idea, explaining that I was soon departing to Europe and, more critically, I didn’t have a US visa.
The next day I went out exploring, returning to the canteen that after dark. The man from Iraq walked over to me and told me that he had arranged an interview for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Because he had taken the effort, I showed up for the discussion – but immediately told my host that I didn’t have a visa, so I was probably wasting her time.
As is common in NYC – a metropolis where opportunities abound – she responded: “We can make that happen. What's your start date?” I never got on that flight to London.
I was employed there for a trio of years. An advantage of the role was that I was granted complimentary education at Columbia, and I seized the chance to earn a master’s of international affairs.
I lost touch with him and I can't recall his name, but his selfless gesture transformed my future in numerous aspects. I didn't possess the confidence or nerve to approach someone at an prestigious college and request employment. Moreover, I had always wanted to study abroad, but lacked the financial means without that free tuition.
What's more, that gig at Columbia resulted in a job in Zurich where I met my handsome spouse from France, with whom I am raising a family of four kids. It was a total sliding doors moment. That kind stranger changed my trajectory in life, and I’m always appreciative.
Can you recall the Nicest Thing a Stranger Has Shown for You?
From cheering you up to altering your path, we are interested in unexpected interactions that have left a lasting impression.
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