ARRIVING at the Shanghai Centre where he works as marketing director, Alex De Ceuster, well-mannered and immaculately groomed in a dark formal suit, seems perfectly at home in his surroundings.

As well he might, because the Belgian has been in China for 12 years - including 10 years in Shanghai, which he considers his second hometown.

Rather than offer anecdotes of extraordinary expat experiences, De Ceuster, 34 years old, prefers to talk about his everyday life in Shanghai, where he devotes himself to his family, work and a little leisure.

Describing himself as "a weird hybrid of a family man, thrill-seeker and Broadway musical lover," De Ceuster says his life consists of three parts - family, musicals and sports.

De Ceuster met his Chinese wife at work and now they have a two-year-old daughter. His mother-in-law lives in with him and his family.

"Western people usually don't do that, but you live in Shanghai and you have to adapt," he says,

"No matter where I live, the most important thing is staying happy and satisfied. No matter how many small things upset me, this principle helps me relax and settle here."

De Ceuster spent his first five years in Shanghai as a program director with an international organization organizing sports events for expat children.

He says his current job at the Shanghai Centre provides him with good opportunities - and not only in career terms. As someone with a passion for musicals and opera, the theater in Shanghai Centre lets De Ceuster realize a dream of combining his musical interest with work.

De Ceuster went to drama school and performed in musicals and operas when he was young. "Les Miserables" and "The Magic Flute" are his favorites.

He once flew to London - on the cheapest flights, staying at the cheapest hotel - just to see three shows in one weekend.

"Every musical and opera that comes to Shanghai - I'm first in line to buy tickets," he says.

"I am so glad to see that the government is working hard to bring Broadway musicals to China, in original language and even in Chinese with a Chinese cast," De Ceuster says.

The latest musical he watched in Shanghai was the English version of "Notre-Dame de Paris" last December.

De Ceuster does have a gripe about local audiences, though. "One thing I cannot stand is people making phone calls during theater performances or in the movie theater. That drives me absolutely crazy, not just because it disturbs other people but because it shows no respect to performers on the stage," he says.

However, in his time in China De Ceuster has got accustomed to many "strange sights."

"But I'll never be a big fan of open-pants for babies, even though I understand the reason why parents choose them. Nor do I enjoy chicken feet, simply because there is no real meat on them. But aside from that, I am pretty much relaxed," he adds.

Twelve years ago, the first Chinese city De Ceuster visited was Wuhu in Anhui. He obtained a scholarship and studied in Anhui Normal University for two years.

Coming from a small town in Belgium where everyone knows each other to a place in China where there was no Western alcohol or cheese, De Ceuster say things only got exciting once he moved to Shanghai.

He says the city was a whole new world and opened a new door to him, where he has seen his career progress.

De Ceuster mentions the phrases "positive drive," "big push" and "great variety" many times during the interview, to describe the feelings Shanghai evokes in him. And talking to the young Belgian, it is obvious that the same qualities reflect his approach to work and life in the city.

Married five years, De Ceuster is happy in his role as son-in-law of a Shanghainese family. "My mother-in-law lives with us, helping to take care of our little daughter. I eat her home-made Chinese food daily and I love it," De Ceuster says.

Speaking with obvious pride, De Ceuster describes family life as peaceful and fulfilling. However, he admits that an occasional break from parenting duties is also welcome.

"I love to spend time with my daughter but when she is asleep, it's time for daddy to get out and spend time with friends over a glass of wine or go to see a show," he adds.

His wife accompanies him to meet his friends from different countries, and De Ceuster also enjoys meeting up with his wife's local friends.

Language is not a big problem, says the Belgian. De Ceuster's Chinese is at a decent level and he communicates in Chinese with his 20 local colleagues from the theater team in Shanghai Centre.

"I speak Chinese with them so that they will feel comfortable," he says confidently.

When time allows, De Ceuster loves to indulge the thrill-seeker part of his personality and go paragliding and try new exciting sports.

He favors Fuyang, a small city close to Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province, where he can go paragliding, get some fresh air, eat some nongjiacai - village cuisine - and round the day off with a relaxing massage.

Alex De Ceuster

Nationality: Belgian

Age: 34

Profession: Marketing director

Self-description: A weird hybrid of a family man, thrill-seeker and Broadway musical lover


Q&A

Favorite place:

Shanghai Centre - the overall convenience of the complex is amazing. Restaurants, supermarket, a kids' club, terrace garden - you literally don't have to leave home! It's the perfect place to bring up a child.


Worst experience:

My camera chase in Taishan in Guangdong Province in 2001. I left my camera in a taxi, and realizing immediately, chased after that taxi with another taxi. I managed to get it back after a long chase, jumping out of the car, long negotiations and eventually running to a police station! Anyway, a long story that did end well, eventually.


Motto for life:

Pick your battles. On any given day, there are many reasons to get upset or to argue about something. If you do so, you end up unhappy all the time. Let it go and focus on what's worth fighting for.


How to improve Shanghai:

Improve the traffic situation and you will solve a lot of problems at once! By strictly enforcing traffic rules - and to achieve that you will need to increase fines for traffic violations and give more authority to police - you will create a much better environment: fewer traffic accidents, more respect among drivers and safer environment for pedestrians.


Advice tonewcomers:

Try to learn Mandarin as soon as possible, even if it is only "taxi-Chinese." When you can communicate with the locals, life gets so much easier and saves you a lot of frustrations.