An unexpected journey
ESF alumnus: Richard Bush
[Sponsored article] Richard Bush can thank fate for turning a Plan B situation with his family’s travel itinerary into a lifelong path; one that would connect him to Hong Kong and, eventually, an illustrious career in government and foreign affairs with a specialisation in China and Taiwan.
The son of American missionary parents, Richard’s family were originally headed to Burma in 1960 when visa issues prompted his father to relocate his family to Hong Kong, where they settled for several years.
When it came to his education, Richard, who attended KGV for five years, initially found a British-style of education rather daunting.
“Going to Hong Kong to study at a British school was a culture shock when I arrived,” he explains. “But all in all it was a good experience, one to which I owe my entire career. It was during those five years in a formative part of my life that I decided to take up the study of China professionally.”
A striking feature at KGV for Bush was the wide diversity of its students. He recalls that almost 50 per cent of the student body was comprised of students from the UK, US, Canada, Australia, and different parts of Europe and Asia. Mixing these in with local Chinese students made for a remarkably international atmosphere. “You interacted with those students on a personal basis and national barriers didn’t really make any difference,” he says. “We were all just people.”
The rigorous standards at KGV served as the perfect foundation Richard needed before entering university in the US. “I feel like I got a very good education at KGV, one which gave me much better preparation for American universities than an American high school would have,” he says. “One thing I recall very distinctly was the dedication of the teaching staff. They were incredibly devoted to students and their job.”
Counselling young ESF students attending school today, Richard advises them to become more familiar with different cultures in order to be flexible in today’s global marketplace. He also urges them to pay attention to changes in technology to gain an edge in a highly competitive job market.
“The more multicultural you can become the better,” says Bush. “Living in Hong Kong gives young people a good start on that.”
