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During the closing decade of the 80s, I was embarking on a backpacking trip to the European continent with a travel partner. Since my travel mate was exploring pursuing a master’s degree in the Big Apple, we had booked a 14-day stopover there before heading to London.

We reached the postgrad residence, a sizeable 10-storey building on the UWS called International House. Once we unpacked, we headed straight to the cafeteria, where we got some food, sat down, and engaged in conversation with other diners.

Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at Columbia University. He inquired what I did for a living, and I explained that I had recently completed my studies with a scientific background and had been working on studies involving microscopic analysis.

He pointed out that there was an electron microscope unit at the institution – right next door to the school of engineering, which was why he was aware of it. He proposed that I should apply for a role with them. I laughed it off, saying that I was about to fly to Europe and, more critically, I did not possess a US visa.

A day later I toured the city, coming back to the dining hall that after dark. The man from Iraq approached me and informed me that he had organized a discussion for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Because he had made the arrangement, I showed up for the discussion – but right away explained to my interviewer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.

In typical New York fashion – a metropolis where opportunities abound – she declared: “We can make that happen. What's your start date?” I never got on that flight to London.

I worked there for a trio of years. A perk of the job was that I got free tuition at Columbia, and I seized the chance to finish a master’s of international affairs.

I lost touch with him and I don’t even know his identity, but his incredible act of kindness altered my destiny in multiple respects. I lacked the bravery or self-assurance to contact anyone at an prestigious college and ask for a job. Moreover, I had long dreamed to study abroad, but lacked the financial means without that tuition waiver.

What's more, that gig at Columbia led me to a job in Zurich where I got to know my handsome spouse from France, with whom I am raising four amazing children. That encounter altered everything. That benevolent individual redirected my path in life, and I’m eternally thankful.

Can you recall the Nicest Thing a Stranger Has Ever Done for You?

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