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In the final years of the 1980s, I was embarking on a budget travel adventure to Europe with a friend. Since my friend was exploring enrolling in graduate studies in the Big Apple, we had booked a two-week stay there on the way to London.

We reached the student accommodation, a large 10-storey building on the UWS known as International House. Once we unpacked, we went directly to the cafeteria, where we got some food, took a seat, and started talking to other diners.

Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man pursuing an engineering degree at Columbia University. He asked me what I did for a living, and I explained that I had just graduated with a degree in science and had been performing experiments with electron microscopy.

He mentioned that there was an research lab at the university – adjacent to the engineering department, which was how he knew about it. He recommended that I should apply for a job with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, saying that I was heading off to Europe and, additionally, I didn’t have a US visa.

The next day I ventured out, returning to the canteen that after dark. The man from Iraq walked over to me and told me that he had set up a meeting for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Because he had gone to the trouble, I showed up for the discussion – but straight off told my host that I didn’t have a visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.

Reflecting the city's spirit – a place where opportunities abound – she responded: “We'll handle it. How soon can you begin?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.

I held that position for three years. One of the benefits was that I was granted free tuition at Columbia, and I took advantage to earn a postgrad program in international relations.

We didn't cross paths after that and I don’t even know his identity, but his incredible act of kindness transformed my future in numerous aspects. I lacked the confidence or self-belief to reach out at an elite institution and request employment. Moreover, I had consistently hoped to pursue education overseas, but could never have afforded it without that free tuition.

Perhaps most importantly, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a job in Zurich where I encountered my handsome spouse from France, with whom I now have four amazing children. That encounter altered everything. That benevolent individual redirected my path in life, and I’m forever grateful.

Can you recall the Kindest Gesture a Unknown Person Has Shown for You?

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