In the closing decade of the 80s, I was embarking on a budget travel adventure to the European continent with a friend. Since my companion was exploring starting a postgraduate program in NYC, we had planned a 14-day stopover there en route to London.
We reached the postgrad residence, a big ten-floor structure on the Manhattan's Upper West Side known as International House. After dropping our bags, we headed straight to the dining hall, where we grabbed food, found a table, and started talking to fellow residents.
Adjacent to my seat was an individual of Iraqi origin pursuing an engineering degree at a prestigious New York university. He inquired what I my profession was, and I explained that I had just graduated with a degree in science and had been working on studies with electron microscopy.
He noted that there was an microscopy facility at the institution – close to the school of engineering, which was why he was aware of it. He proposed that I should apply for a position with them. I laughed it off, telling him that I was soon departing to Europe and, even more importantly, I did not possess a US visa.
The following day I went out exploring, returning to the canteen that night. The man from Iraq walked over to me and told me that he had set up a meeting for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Given that he had taken the effort, I showed up for the discussion – but right away told my interviewer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was unable to accept the role.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a metropolis where opportunities abound – she declared: “That can be arranged. What's your start date?” I missed my plane to London.
I held that position for three years. A perk of the job was that I was granted complimentary education at Columbia, and I took advantage to earn a postgrad program in international relations.
We didn't cross paths after that and I don’t even know his name, but his remarkable generosity altered my destiny in so many ways. I lacked the confidence or self-assurance to reach out at an Ivy League university and request employment. Moreover, I had long dreamed to pursue education overseas, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that tuition waiver.
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 now have a family of four kids. That encounter altered everything. That kind stranger set me on a different course in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
Can you recall the Most Generous Act a Someone You Didn't Know Has Ever Done for You?
Whether it's brightening your mood to transforming your future, we want to hear about random meetings that have stuck with you.
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