How a School Field Trip Sparked a Lifetime of Curiosity About the World

 From a Form 4 visit to Shell House in Hong Kong to a career in product management, HR, and now AI learning—how one simple presentation shaped a lifelong mindset of curiosity and learning.

I still remember one school field trip very clearly.

I was in Form 4 at La Salle College in Hong Kong. Our class was taken on a visit to Shell House in the Central District on Hong Kong Island. At that age, most school outings felt like a break from routine—but this one turned out to be something different.

We were brought into a presentation room. A young Shell staff member greeted us. He was polite, soft-spoken, and very composed. What struck me first was not just what he said, but how he presented it. He first introduced himself in English with confidence and calmness, setting a professional tone that immediately caught our attention.

Then the presentation began.

There was a short film, followed by illustrated slides using transparencies and a projector. In today’s world of digital screens and AI visuals, it may sound simple—but at that time, it felt modern and impressive.

The topic was petroleum: how it is produced, how it is refined, and how it is used in everyday life—from transportation to factories, from household products to global industry. What I remember most is not the technical detail, but the way the story was told. It was clear, structured, and surprisingly engaging for a teenager.

For the first time, I began to see something important: the invisible systems behind daily life. The fuel that moves buses and ships, the materials behind products we use, the global network that quietly powers modern society.

That presentation stayed with me.

Looking back now, I realize that experience planted something deeper than knowledge. It sparked curiosity—not just about petroleum, but about how things work in general, how ideas connect, and how industries are built from systems we rarely notice.

Years later, when I worked in product management training at Ciba-Geigy in Hong Kong, and later in human resources, I found myself returning to the same mindset. I was always interested in understanding the “why” behind processes, not just the “what.” How does a product journey from concept to market? How do people systems support performance and growth?

I did not connect it at the time, but now I can see the link clearly.

That school field trip was one of those quiet turning points.

It did not feel dramatic. There was no announcement that “this will shape your future.” It was simply a well-delivered presentation on a subject I had never thought deeply about before. Yet it stayed in my memory for decades.

Today, even as I explore new tools like ChatGPT and artificial intelligence, I notice the same pattern again. Curiosity leads me in. Understanding keeps me engaged. Application gives it meaning.

That is why I believe curiosity at a young age matters so much. It does not need to be extraordinary. It just needs to be awakened.

And once awakened, it can quietly stay with you for a lifetime—shaping how you think, how you work, and how you continue to learn, even many years later.

 Reflection

It was not a dramatic moment. Just a school visit.

But sometimes, the quietest experiences become the longest-lasting influences.

Curiosity does not start in adulthood—it is often simply remembered and reawakened.

#GrandpaJourney #LifeLessons #Curiosity #Education #HongKongStories #AIlearning #PersonalGrowth #Memory #Reflection

一次學校參觀，如何燃起我一生對世界的好奇心

從香港中環蜆殼大廈一次中四的參觀，到後來從事產品管理、人力資源，以至今天學習人工智能——一場簡單的演講，如何塑造了我一生對好奇心與學習的態度。

我至今仍然清楚記得一次學校的校外參觀活動。

那時我正在香港喇沙書院讀中四。學校安排我們到香港島中環的蜆殼大廈（Shell House）參觀。對當年的學生來說，大部分校外活動都像是一次離開課堂的輕鬆時光，但這一次卻有點不同。

我們被帶到一間演講室。一位年輕的蜆殼公司職員接待我們。他非常有禮貌，說話溫和，態度從容。最令我印象深刻的，不只是他講了甚麼，而是他怎樣去表達。他先用英文作自我介紹，語氣自信而平靜，很自然地營造出一種專業感，立刻吸引了我們的注意。

接著，演講正式開始。

首先播放了一段短片，然後利用投影機與透明膠片展示圖文說明。以今天數碼屏幕與 AI 視覺效果的年代來看，這些設備可能很普通，但在當時卻令人感到相當新穎和專業。

演講內容圍繞石油：它如何被開採、如何提煉，以及如何應用於日常生活之中——從交通運輸到工廠生產，從家庭用品到全球工業發展。

我最深刻記得的，並不是那些技術細節，而是他說故事的方式。內容清晰、有條理，而且對一個十多歲的學生來說，竟然非常吸引。

那是我第一次開始意識到一件重要的事：原來我們日常生活背後，存在着許多看不見的系統。

推動巴士與輪船的燃料、製造產品的原材料，以及默默支撐現代社會運作的全球網絡，其實一直都在我們身邊，只是平日很少留意。

那次演講，一直留在我的記憶裡。

今天回頭再看，我才明白，那次經歷種下的不只是知識，而是一種更深層的東西——好奇心。

不只是對石油有興趣，而是開始對「事物如何運作」、「不同概念如何互相連結」、「產業如何由一個個系統建立起來」產生興趣。

多年後，當我在香港汽巴嘉基（Ciba-Geigy）從事產品管理培訓，之後又轉到人力資源工作時，我發現自己其實一直帶着同一種思維方式。

我總是對事情背後的「為甚麼」感到好奇，而不只是「是甚麼」。

一個產品如何從概念走向市場？
一套制度如何支持員工成長與企業發展？

當年我並沒有把這些事情聯繫起來，但今天回望，我已經能清楚看見其中的連結。

那次學校參觀，其實是人生中一個安靜但重要的轉折點。

它並不戲劇化，也沒有人告訴我：「這將改變你的人生。」

它只是一場關於陌生主題、但表達得非常出色的演講。然而，它卻在我心裡停留了幾十年。

今天，當我開始探索 ChatGPT 與人工智能工具時，我再次看見同樣的模式：

好奇心帶我走進去；
理解讓我持續投入；
而實際應用，則賦予它真正的意義。

這也是為甚麼我相信，年輕時的好奇心非常重要。

它不一定需要驚天動地，只需要被喚醒。

一旦被喚醒，它便可能安靜地陪伴你一生——影響你的思考方式、工作態度，以及你在多年之後，仍然願意繼續學習的能力。

反思

那並不是甚麼轟轟烈烈的時刻，只不過是一場學校參觀。

但很多時候，最安靜的經歷，往往會成為人生中最深遠的影響。

好奇心並不是成年後才開始的東西——它很多時候，只是被重新記起，再次被喚醒。