"I have now lived in Shanghai for nearly 10 years. I'm not a foreigner here; I am a Shanghainese." This is how Tobias Le Compte, a Belgian, expresses his connection to the city.
In 2008, Tobias first set foot in Shanghai when he came with a percussion ensemble from an art school in Belgium for a performance. "The moment I stepped off the plane, I was instantly captivated by the city. Although I had never visited Shanghai before, I felt that everything was just right." Although he only lived in Shanghai for a short two weeks, upon returning to Belgium, he told his father, "I want to move to Shanghai." His father was surprised and thought he was joking, but Tobias made that decision a reality by coming to continue his studies at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music.
Since then, Tobias has begun to find his stage in Shanghai. He started connecting with local musicians and became involved in activities such as forming bands and performing. In his view, Shanghai is an ideal place for developing a music career. According to him, there is a bigger market and more people, which leads to more opportunities. At the same time, Shanghai is a melting pot of different cultures, where a musician can collaborate and perform with people from all around the world and experience various musical styles and cultures.
Beginning with his musical development, Tobias's impression of Shanghai has evolved from "love at first sight" to "charm everywhere." Not only music, but the food in Shanghai is also unforgettable for him. Tobias thinks Chinese (Shanghainese) cuisine and Belgian cuisine have many similarities in flavor, with an emphasis on sweetness. Also, Shanghai represents the best blend of Eastern and Western cultures, where one can both live like a traditional Chinese person and enjoy modern conveniences like a foreigner. This multicultural atmosphere makes Tobias feel very comfortable and at ease.
After arriving in Shanghai, Tobias worked hard to learn Chinese. "I spent about four months learning, studying 10 to 12 hours a day, and made rapid progress. Later, I became interested in Shanghainese, so I started making videos to document my learning progress." As he released more videos about learning Shanghainese, he gained an increasing number of supporters. "Once, when I got off the plane to take a taxi, five people recognized me on the way. They said, 'You're that foreigner who can speak Shanghainese; thank you!'" At that moment, Tobias thought it was a bit strange, but then he realized that he was doing something very meaningful. He hopes that through his videos, more young people in Shanghai will learn to speak Shanghainese and preserve the culture and dialect of Shanghai. "Even if only 1% of the younger people can do this through my videos, well, I think I'm doing something very meaningful."
Reporters/cameramen: Ni, Kong
Editor: Fung
English Editor: Darius, Rachel
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