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In the final years of the 1980s, I was embarking on a budget travel adventure to Europe with a companion. Since my travel mate was considering starting a postgraduate program in New York, we had booked a fortnight visit there on the way to London.

We reached the postgrad residence, a large ten-floor structure on the Upper West Side known as International House. After dropping our bags, we headed straight to the dining hall, where we grabbed food, took a seat, and started talking to people eating there.

Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at a prestigious New York university. He wanted to know what I did for a living, and I told him that I had recently completed my studies with a science degree and had been performing experiments involving microscopic analysis.

He noted that there was an research lab at Columbia University – right next door to the engineering faculty, which was why he was aware of it. He proposed that I should apply for a job with them. I dismissed the idea, explaining that I was heading off to Europe and, even more importantly, I didn’t have a US visa.

The next day I went out exploring, going back to the cafeteria that after dark. The man from Iraq approached me and told me that he had organized a discussion for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Since he had gone to the trouble, I went to the meeting – but immediately informed my interviewer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.

As is common in NYC – a city where everything seems achievable – she responded: “We'll handle it. When can you start?” I never got on that flight to London.

I worked there for three years. An advantage of the role was that I also received complimentary education at Columbia, and I seized the chance to finish a master’s of international affairs.

I never saw that student again and I can't recall his full name, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in so many ways. I would never have had the bravery or self-belief to approach someone at an Ivy League university and request employment. Moreover, I had long dreamed to study abroad, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that educational benefit.

Critically, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a job in Zurich where I encountered my handsome spouse from France, with whom I currently share four amazing children. It was a total sliding doors moment. That kind stranger changed my trajectory in life, and I’m forever grateful.

What is the Most Generous Act a Someone You Didn't Know Has Shown for You?

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