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In the closing decade of the 80s, I set out on a budget travel adventure to the European continent with a friend. Since my companion was exploring starting a postgraduate program in the Big Apple, we had planned a 14-day stopover there en route to London.

We arrived at the graduate housing, a large ten-floor structure on the Manhattan's Upper West Side known as International House. After dropping our bags, we made our way to the dining hall, where we picked up meals, sat down, and began chatting with other diners.

Beside me was an Iraqi man studying engineering at a prestigious New York university. He asked me what I did for a living, and I shared 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 Columbia University – close to the engineering faculty, which was why he was aware of it. He suggested that I consider applying for a position with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, saying that I was soon departing to Europe and, even more importantly, I lacked a US visa.

The next day I ventured out, returning to the canteen that evening. The Iraqi student came up to me and let me know that he had arranged an interview for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Because he had made the arrangement, I attended the interview – but immediately told my prospective employer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was unable to accept the role.

As is common in NYC – a city where everything seems achievable – she said: “We can make that happen. When can you start?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.

I held that position for a trio of years. A perk of the job was that I was granted free tuition at Columbia, and I seized the chance to finish a graduate degree in global studies.

I lost touch with him and I can't recall his full name, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in numerous aspects. I didn't possess the confidence or self-belief to reach out at an elite institution and ask for a job. Additionally, I had long dreamed to pursue education overseas, but could never have afforded it without that free tuition.

What's more, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a job in Zurich where I met my beautiful French husband, with whom I now have four amazing children. This was a pivotal life event. That helpful person set me on a different course in life, and I’m eternally thankful.

What is the Kindest Gesture a Stranger Has Once Performed for You?

Whether it's brightening your mood to altering your path, we are interested in unexpected interactions that have remained in your memory.

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