I’m visiting my parents at the place where I grew up in Zagreb. I walked into a shared backyard and saw a century-old shed. We had used firewood for heating for most of my life, and I had spent much time there chopping wood and carrying it to the fireplace.
About fifteen to twenty years ago, we got a faster connection to the Internet, and then broadband at some point. The access opened up new possibilities and horizons. I also discovered audiobooks. That was the moment when my chore turned into an opportunity. Hours of repetitive work every week were complemented by listening to science, history, and economics books.
Only today, I see the dichotomy of getting part of my twenty-first century education in such a technical way while sitting in a century-old crumbling shed and chopping firewood.