In the final years of the 1980s, I set out on a backpacking trip to Europe with a travel partner. Since my friend was exploring pursuing a master’s degree in NYC, we had arranged a fortnight visit there before heading to London.
We arrived at the student accommodation, a sizeable multi-story edifice on the UWS known as International House. Once we unpacked, we went directly to the canteen, where we picked up meals, took a seat, and began chatting with people eating there.
Adjacent to my seat was an individual of Iraqi origin enrolled in an engineering program at Columbia University. He wanted to know what I my profession was, and I told him that I had newly finished with a scientific background and had been working on studies with electron microscopy.
He pointed out that there was an research lab at the university – adjacent to the engineering faculty, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He proposed that I consider applying for a position with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, saying that I was soon departing to Europe and, additionally, I didn’t have a US visa.
The following day I toured the city, returning to the canteen that night. The engineering student walked over to me and informed me that he had organized a discussion for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Given that he had made the arrangement, I went to the meeting – but right away informed my host that I didn’t have a visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a place where everything seems achievable – she responded: “That can be arranged. What's your start date?” I missed my plane to London.
I worked there for three years. A perk of the job was that I was granted no-cost classes at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to earn a postgrad program in international relations.
I never saw that student again and I can't recall his name, but his selfless gesture altered my destiny in multiple respects. I lacked the confidence or self-belief to reach out at an Ivy League university and request employment. And, I had always wanted to take classes in another country, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that tuition waiver.
Perhaps most importantly, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a position in Switzerland where I encountered my handsome spouse from France, with whom I now have four amazing children. This was a pivotal life event. That benevolent individual changed my trajectory in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
What is the Nicest Thing a Unknown Person Has Once Performed for You?
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