During the final years of the 1980s, I was embarking on a backpacking trip to the European continent with a friend. Because my companion was exploring starting a postgraduate program in NYC, we had planned a fortnight visit there on the way to London.
We arrived at the student accommodation, a large multi-story edifice on the UWS called International House. After dropping our bags, we headed straight to the cafeteria, where we grabbed food, sat down, and began chatting with fellow residents.
Beside me was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at Columbia University. He inquired what I did, and I shared that I had newly finished with a science degree and had been working on studies using an electron microscope.
He mentioned that there was an research lab at Columbia University – right next door to the school of engineering, which was why he was aware of it. He proposed that I should apply for a job with them. I dismissed the idea, saying that I was heading off to Europe and, even more importantly, I did not possess a US visa.
The next day I toured the city, coming back to the dining hall that night. The engineering student approached me and informed me that he had arranged an interview for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Since he had gone to the trouble, I attended the interview – but immediately explained to my host that I didn’t have a visa, so I was unable to accept the role.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a city where everything seems achievable – she said: “We can make that happen. When can you start?” I missed my plane to London.
I was employed there for a trio of years. A perk of the job was that I also received no-cost classes at Columbia, and I took advantage to earn a postgrad program in international relations.
I lost touch with him and I am unaware of his name, but his incredible act of kindness changed my life in multiple respects. I didn't possess the courage or self-assurance to reach out at an prestigious college and ask for a job. And, I had consistently hoped to pursue education overseas, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that free tuition.
Critically, that gig at Columbia resulted in a job in Zurich where I met my handsome spouse from France, with whom I now have four amazing children. That encounter altered everything. That benevolent individual changed my trajectory in life, and I’m always appreciative.
What is the Kindest Gesture a Someone You Didn't Know Has Ever Done for You?
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