During the final years of the 1980s, I was beginning a budget travel adventure to Europe with a friend. Since my companion was interested in starting a postgraduate program in New York, we had booked a two-week stay there on the way to London.
We arrived at the student accommodation, a large 10-storey building on the Manhattan's Upper West Side called International House. After dropping our bags, we made our way to the canteen, where we grabbed food, took a seat, and began chatting with other diners.
Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man studying engineering at Columbia University. He inquired what I my profession was, and I shared that I had recently completed my studies with a degree in science and had been performing experiments with electron microscopy.
He pointed out that there was an electron microscope unit at the university – close to the engineering faculty, which was how he knew about it. He proposed that I consider applying for a position with them. I dismissed the idea, telling him that I was soon departing to Europe and, additionally, I did not possess a US visa.
The next day I ventured out, going back to the cafeteria that night. The engineering student came up to me and told me that he had organized a discussion for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Because he had made the arrangement, I went to the meeting – but straight off informed my host that I was without a work permit, so I was unable to accept the role.
As is common in NYC – a city where everything seems achievable – she responded: “We can make that happen. What's your start date?” I never got on that flight to London.
I held that position for 36 months. A perk of the job was that I was granted free tuition at Columbia, and I seized the chance to finish a master’s of international affairs.
I lost touch with him and I can't recall his full name, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in so many ways. I lacked the courage or self-assurance to contact anyone at an elite institution and ask for a job. And, I had always wanted to pursue education overseas, but lacked the financial means without that free tuition.
Critically, that job in New York resulted in a position in Switzerland where I encountered my handsome spouse from France, with whom I currently share four wonderful sons and daughters. That encounter altered everything. That benevolent individual changed my trajectory in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
Can you recall the Most Generous Act a Unknown Person Has Ever Done for You?
Whether it's making your day to altering your path, we would love to know random meetings that have remained in your memory.
Feel free to recount your experience if you are 18 or over, without revealing your identity if you choose. The stories you tell are confidential, and are solely for the aim of this article.
