During the late 1980s, I set out on a budget travel adventure to the European continent with a friend. Since my companion was interested in enrolling in graduate studies in New York, we had planned a fortnight visit there on the way to London.
We got to the postgrad residence, a big ten-floor structure on the Manhattan's Upper West Side known as International House. Setting down our luggage, we went directly to the canteen, where we grabbed food, sat down, and started talking to other diners.
Adjacent to my seat was an gentleman from Iraq pursuing an engineering degree at a prestigious New York university. He wanted to know what I did for a living, and I told him that I had just graduated with a degree in science and had been working on studies involving microscopic analysis.
He pointed out that there was an research lab at the university – right next door to the engineering faculty, which was how he knew about it. He proposed that I ought to seek a job with them. I dismissed the idea, saying that I was about to fly to Europe and, even more importantly, I lacked a US visa.
The following day I ventured out, returning to the canteen that night. The engineering student came up 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 went to the meeting – but right away told my host that I was without a work permit, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
As is common in NYC – a metropolis where anything feels possible – she said: “We can make that happen. What's your start date?” I never got on that flight to London.
I was employed there for three years. An advantage of the role was that I also received free tuition at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to complete a postgrad program in international relations.
I lost touch with him and I don’t even know his identity, but his remarkable generosity transformed my future in so many ways. I didn't possess the courage or self-belief to reach out at an elite institution and request employment. And, I had consistently hoped to pursue education overseas, but could never have afforded it without that educational benefit.
Critically, that gig at Columbia led me to a job in Zurich where I got to know my wonderful partner, with whom I am raising a family of four kids. It was a total sliding doors moment. That benevolent individual changed my trajectory in life, and I’m forever grateful.
Can you recall the Most Generous Act a Someone You Didn't Know Has Once Performed for You?
Whether it's cheering you up to changing your life, we would love to know random meetings that have remained in your memory.
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