Opportunities

Fewer than kids get now, I'd say. I grew up in a fishing village in Nghe An where the choice was basically football in the dry season and swimming in the river in the wet one. The one exception was a chess club that a retired teacher ran in his front yard, and I stuck with it for three years, mainly because his wife handed out boiled peanuts. So in general, yes, I think people should try as many things as they reasonably can, especially when they're young, because you can't know what suits you until you've had a go. That said, there's a limit; a friend of mine signs up for a new course every month and has never finished a single one. Recently I took a pottery class with my colleagues. My bowl came out looking like a melted hat, but spending two hours with my hands in clay and my phone out of reach was oddly relaxing. As for the future, I'm hoping to be sent on a short training programme in Singapore next year. My company picks two people, so fingers crossed.