Because for my children, the best skills I can give them are to speak good Mandarin and to know Asia. It's not going to make them successful, I assure you. There are plenty of people in the world who speak Mandarin and who know Asia that aren't successful. But it will give them a leg-up.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_jE__H8auohp5QHUffQ9pKwex6qiTVhdb0rdgJj85h8Z7Oj26kMJvva4Qz-sdfSqh3hRp_U-GLN0SXPH13j3Vwsf9SZIA98vwQ2wi7WnSF9kDhD_QuWIvAJDHLF6Cn2EyPy6Y3hW_Akhc/s320/JimRogers_daughters.jpg)
And if I were a bright young man or woman now, that's what I would do, I'd go to Asia, learn at least one Asian language. Mandarin is the best as far as I'm concerned. But I would certainly head to Asia.
My problem, another one of my mistakes, I went to China in 1984, scared to death by the way, because I had been listening to American propaganda all my life.
Evil, vicious, terrible people the Chinese. They're going to cut your throat.
I got there and I said, "These aren't evil, vicious, terrible people. These are wonderful people." Educated, hard-working and they save for the future. But if I'd been smart I would have stayed. Shows you how smart I am.
I went there and I saw, oh my God; look at this. Look at what's happening.
I went back to Asia several times and many times since, but you know if I was such a bright kid, I would have stayed in Asia in the '80s.