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During the final years of the 1980s, I set out on a backpacking trip to Europe with a friend. Because my friend was considering enrolling in graduate studies in the Big Apple, we had booked a two-week stay there on the way to London.

We arrived at the postgrad residence, a big 10-storey building on the Manhattan's Upper West Side named International House. After dropping our bags, we headed straight to the canteen, where we picked up meals, took a seat, and engaged in conversation with other diners.

Beside me was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at an Ivy League institution. He wanted to know what I did for a living, and I explained that I had just graduated with a science degree and had been conducting research using an electron microscope.

He noted that there was an microscopy facility at Columbia University – adjacent to the school of engineering, which was why he was aware of it. He proposed that I ought to seek a role with them. I laughed it off, saying that I was soon departing to Europe and, even more importantly, I didn’t have a US visa.

The next day I went out exploring, returning to the canteen that after dark. The Iraqi student came up to me and told me that he had organized a discussion for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Because he had gone to the trouble, I went to the meeting – but right away told my host that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.

Reflecting the city's spirit – a metropolis where anything feels possible – she declared: “We'll handle it. How soon can you begin?” I missed my plane to London.

I held that position for three years. One of the benefits was that I got 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 name, but his remarkable generosity transformed my future in numerous aspects. I lacked the bravery or self-belief to approach someone at an Ivy League university and ask for a job. Additionally, I had consistently hoped to pursue education overseas, but could never have afforded it without that free tuition.

What's more, that gig at Columbia led me to a position in Switzerland where I encountered my beautiful French husband, with whom I currently share four amazing children. That encounter altered everything. That kind stranger changed my trajectory in life, and I’m forever grateful.

What is the Nicest Thing a Stranger Has Ever Done for You?

From brightening your mood to transforming your future, we are interested in chance encounters that have left a lasting impression.

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