During the final years of the 1980s, I set out on a backpacking trip to Europe with a companion. Since my travel mate was exploring pursuing a master’s degree in NYC, we had booked a 14-day stopover there en route to London.
We got to the student accommodation, a big multi-story edifice on the Manhattan's Upper West Side known as International House. Once we unpacked, we went directly to the dining hall, where we picked up meals, sat down, and began chatting with fellow residents.
Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man studying engineering at a prestigious New York university. He asked me what I did, and I told him that I had recently completed my studies with a scientific background and had been performing experiments using an electron microscope.
He mentioned that there was an research lab at the institution – right next door to the engineering faculty, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He proposed that I should apply for a role with them. I laughed it off, explaining that I was soon departing to Europe and, even more importantly, I didn’t have a US visa.
A day later I ventured out, returning to the canteen that night. The engineering student approached me and informed me that he had set up a meeting for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Since he had made the arrangement, I attended the interview – but right away explained to my interviewer that I was without a work permit, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a place where opportunities abound – she said: “We'll handle it. How soon can you begin?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I held that position for 36 months. An advantage of the role was that I got free tuition at Columbia, and I took advantage to earn a graduate degree in global studies.
I never saw that student again and I can't recall his identity, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in numerous aspects. I lacked the confidence or self-assurance to reach out at an elite institution and ask for a job. Additionally, I had long dreamed to pursue education overseas, but lacked the financial means without that tuition waiver.
What's more, that job in New York paved the way for a job in Zurich where I got to know my wonderful partner, with whom I currently share four amazing children. It was a total sliding doors moment. That benevolent individual changed my trajectory in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
What is the Most Generous Act a Unknown Person Has Ever Done for You?
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