At the age of 15, Miroslav Kolesar, a boy living in a small city in Slovakia named Kosice, had the good fortune to learn Chinese from a charming lady named Li Ping.

The first time he saw Li, he was deeply impressed. She was beautiful, elegant and different from the other people he knew in many ways.

It was destiny, he thought, since there was little chance for people in his home town to learn a foreign language, let alone to learn Chinese.

Li also taught him English during breaks in his Chinese studies.

After that, he was inspired to read the works of Confucius and Lao Tzu, and pursued Chinese studies at Charles University, the oldest university in central Europe. Charles was also the only institution that offered Chinese lectures in the Czech Republic.

Kolesar went to Peking University for further studies between 1993 and 1995 and developed a deep affection for Chinese culture that has stayed with him in the 12 years he has since lived in the country.

Kolesar has worked for several international corporations, including European- and US-based companies. He is now chief representative for PPF group in China, a leading financial and investment provider in the Central and Eastern Europe region and Asia.

Family occupies the warmest part of his heart. He met his wife in China and got married in 2005. They have two sons, a 2-year-old and a 4-year-old and they are expecting a Tiger Year baby this year.

Having lived in Beijing for more than 10 years, Kolesar shared his opinions about the capital and spoke about his life here with METRO.

METRO: What was your first impression of Beijing when you arrived in 1993?

Kolesar: Before I came, I thought there were tea houses everywhere in Beijing, because I read many historical poems and novels which described it. Later, I found I was wrong.

METRO: Do you regard Beijing as home?

Kolesar: I can tell you an interesting thing. Once, I went to Czech Republic with my two kids. They had spent a relatively shorter time in Europe than I had and, to my surprise, they said, dad, I want to go home back to Beijing.

METRO: Which places in Beijing do you often visit?

Kolesar: There is one place we go quite often, and that's Miyun reservoir. I have been there maybe 100 times. There is a lake, a waterfall and other places that have beautiful nature. Sometimes, there are not many people there, so it's relaxing.

METRO: What kind of house do you live in?

Kolesar: We live in a Houshayu villa rented by the company, which is located in Shunyi district. We have a really nice big garden that the kids can play in.

METRO: Do you have plans to buy a house in Beijing? Which style do you prefer?

Kolesar: I do actually have a plan to buy a house in Beijing. I would prefer to buy a villa and I also have a schedule to build a small Chinese courtyard in Czech Republic. I think where to buy and when to buy is a complicated question and I am too busy to consider it.

METRO: Do you believe in Feng Shui?

Kolesar: Yes, I believe in one thing - things are not only things. There is certain spirit behind them. I think Feng Shui is about trying to sense the feelings or atmosphere of the place, whether you see something positive or not. I like to think beyond the material level of things.

METRO: Do you play golf?

Kolesar: Well, in this regard, I have to say I am completely outdated. I have got a membership but I never use it. I know it's very popular now and many of my friends and colleagues play golf. It's not because I don't like it, it's an interesting and nice game, but I don't have much time for sports.

METRO: Then what do you do in your spare time?

Kolesar: My sport is my two boys running after me, and me running away. I leave home very early in the morning, and return home at 8 pm, or 9 pm when the kids are already in bed, so I prefer being with my family at the weekend.

METRO: So you like to travel?

Kolesar: Yes, every two months, I take my family for a long weekend. We have four or five days off, and can go to places that you need to take the plane to reach, such as Xi'an, Lijiang and Guilin. I think we have visited most of the major places already, but there are still good places to go.

METRO: Do you like the local Beijingers?

Kolesar: Generally speaking, in every country, I have found people from the capital are of a special kind of character, which means they have the tendency to feel they are more important than other people. I hope Beijing people will not be angry about that (laugh). It's not that strong, just a little bit of a feeling.

METRO: What's your favorite Beijing cuisine?

Kolesar: Beijing duck is really a unique type of food.

METRO: What's your favorite restaurant in Beijing?

Kolesar: Xiao Nanguo, perhaps. But the restaurant I go to the most is the one closest to the place where I live. It's called Piazza Coffee. They have very nice environment, fireplace inside, so it's very cozy in winter.

METRO: Where do you go shopping in Beijing?

Kolesar: Yansha Youyi Shopping Mall. My wife likes Shin Kong-place near Dawang Road, and I think Oriental Plaza is also good. If I have time, I would like to go to Wangfujing where there are many interesting little shops all around.

METRO: What clothes brands do you like?

Kolesar: For formal dress, I probably would buy Italian brands, such as Ferragamo and Pal Zileri. It would be much more complicated if we talk about my wife's favorite. That would be a long list (laugh).

METRO: What car do you drive?

Kolesar: Toyota Crown, it is a car provided by the company. But personally speaking, I prefer German cars, such as BMW.

METRO: What are the most expensive things you bought in Beijing?

Kolesar: It could be jewelry I bought for my wife.

METRO: What's your personal and professional dream?

Kolesar: My personal dream and professional dream is actually very simple - to have a healthy and happy family, to have good friends that I can trust and maybe to have some blessings and achieve success in the business world, which we are doing.