I have had quite a few jobs: early ones include rent collector, soldier, factory worker, and semi-pro musician. I then decided it was time to settle down and apply myself, went to university and got a BSc, followed by a PhD. I finally realised that being a university teacher was what I wanted and I taught in London and in Australia. I also worked for the UN in Bangkok, writing part of their Economic Survey of Asia and the Far East.
I started writing only after I got my first degree. At first I mostly I wrote articles on economic issues in Asia, especially China; I then widened out into looking at doing business in Asia, particularly with China and Japan. As another string to my bow, for some time I taught freshmen students and helped them solve their problems and settle down quickly at college. This was largely because I could relate to new students and spent a lot of time trying to get them to enjoy lectures, tutorials and workshops. I liked doing this, the Dean spotted this fact, and kept me working with first year students for years.
I now have six books and one monograph out. These are:
China and the Open Door Policy, 1989.
How to Succeed as a Student, 1994 (monograph).
Kevin B. Bucknall's Cultural Guide to Doing Business in (the publisher insisted on the title or would not take the book), 1994.China
Studying at University: How to Make a Success of Your Academic Course, 1996.
Chinese Business Etiquette and Culture, 2002.
Japan: Doing Business in a Unique Culture, 2006.
Going to University: the Secrets of Success, 2007.
I also wrote a short play that was performed by students and we used as a teaching aid. This play was called "It's an Offensive Business!" and illustrated what could go wrong in cross-cultural communications.
I am currently writing my biography, purely for my children, so that at some stage they will know how I spent my life (read "wasted my time during this precious journey through time"). I do not intend to publish this, just hand it over to the kids.
I have few regrets in life. Those I have mostly consist of things that I could have done but chose not to do so at the time. I have reached the conclusion that I never regret what I did, only what I failed to do! A major regret is not asking my parents about their earlier lives, before I came along. After they died, I suddenly realised how little I really knew about that period of their life, what they did, what they felt, and how they coped. That is really why I have started writing up my bio., in order to prevent my daughters suffering from the same stupid mistake I made - not asking!
Quotations I rather like:
"When faced with a choice between two evils I always choose the one I haven't tried before" - Mae West. She was a bright woman!
Bookmarks
Share
Save
[