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During the year 2006, I made a trip to Canberra for a medical school interview. I assumed to arrange a place to stay upon arrival, but upon reaching the city, a large conference was taking place and all the youth hostels and cheap hotels were fully booked.

As a visitor from Singapore, I thought the possibility of spend the night at the airport – but soon learned the local airport, unlike Singapore’s, closes all night. Unsure of quite what to do and getting a bit desperate, I boarded a city-bound bus and started wandering near the casino, reasoning it was a place to spend the night somewhere operating all night. This was not ideal at my peak to succeed at an interview the following day, however, being a student on a tight budget, a pricey hotel was out of reach.

The world needs more individuals with such compassion.

It seems I seemed lost as a female student spotted me wandering around the city and wondered whether I needed help. I shared my predicament and right away she suggested I was welcome to sleep on a spare mattress of her dormitory at ANU – an ideal turn of events, considering that was where my interview would take place the next morning. Generously, she also provided me some free dinner: a leftover filled rolls she had from her work shift. I had access to warm shower facilities and somewhere safe to rest for the evening.

In retrospect, I now understand the significant risk she accepted being a woman inviting a man she’d just met crash at her place. In those days I existed within a bubble of male privilege and did not consider to such safety concerns. As a dad now, it astounds me she took that chance – but still deeply appreciative.

I never did study at the Australian National University, and I never saw the student afterwards, but I’ve never forgotten her amazing act of human compassion. It is my wish the universe has repaid her generosity tenfold. We could all use more people with such compassion.