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During the year 2006, My journey took me to the Australian capital for a medical school interview. My plan was I would book accommodation after getting there, yet when I arrived, a major event was in town and all the backpackers hostels and affordable lodging were fully booked.

Hailing from the city-state of Singapore, I thought perhaps I could just sleep at the terminal – only to discover Canberra airport, unlike Singapore’s, closes all night. Unsure of what my next move should be and growing worried, I hopped on a bus into town and started wandering near the casino, reasoning it was a place to spend those hours in a place operating 24/7. Admittedly, this plan in the best shape for nailing the admissions interview the following day, however, being a cash-strapped student, luxury accommodation was impossible.

We could all use more people with such compassion.

I must have looked out of place since a young woman noticed me wandering around the city center and wondered if I was OK. I recounted the story of my accommodation crisis and immediately she offered I could crash on the ground in her student dorm at the Australian National University – a perfect solution, as that’s where my interview was scheduled for the next day. She even offered some food: one filled rolls she brought back her evening job. This gave me a hot shower and somewhere safe and safe to spend the night.

Looking back, it’s clear to me what a big chance she accepted as a woman letting a guy who was a complete stranger crash at her place. In those days I existed within a bubble of male privilege and did not consider to the potential danger. As a dad now, it astounds me she offered that help – but still very grateful.

Ultimately, I did not attending ANU, and I lost touch with her again, but I’ve never forgotten that incredible gesture of human compassion. I hope the universe has returned her generosity tenfold. We could all use more folks like that woman.