what happened first?
 

I dont have good english understanding.

Im reading a book and this is what i just read.

"About 4 years ago, a year after my operation, I started looking for a new sporting activity and came across a free self defence class. Soon afterwards, as a direct consequence I started taking kickboxing classes".

My question is - Did this person do kickboxing classes first OR did he come across the self defence class first??

thankyou

Re: what happened first?
 

He came across the self defence class first. Look at the adverbial : soon afterwards.
Afterwards is an adverb which refers back to something already mentioned. So :

We had lunch, and afterwards we had coffee = We had lunch and after lunch we had coffee.

So here : I found a self defence class and soon afterwards I started kickboxing classes = I found a self defence class, and soon after I found the self-defence class, I started kick-boxing classes.