Speaking amazingly good putonghua as welll as daily Shanghai dialect, the 33-year-old Australian is now quite famous in Shanghai - being a member of the neighbourhood committee of Yanlord Garden, a top end complex in Shanghai's Pudong District.

Jason Boonham shows off the certificate stating his appointment as a neighbourhood commmunity member. [China Daily]

Boonham, who is one of the first foreign citizens to join China's neighbourhood committees, is in charge of publicity and educational affairs in the community, where 40 per cent of more than 1,200 families are internationals from more than 30 countries.

The neighbourhood committee is a Chinese body at the grassroots level for self governance, education and services. Its members are selected by local residents whom they serve on a voluntary basis.

There are approximately 115,000 neighbourhood committees in China's urban centres at the moment, many with elected members, to take care of various aspects of local residents' daily lives. They help with job placement, delivering government subsidies, security, entertainment, and public hygiene among others. They also help settle family disputes.

Last December, 49 delegates on behalf of the residents of Yanlord Garden, selected Boonham and other eight candidates as members for their neighbourhood committee.

"Boonham's initial participation was probationary," said Zhang Ying, an official of Pudong District Civil Affairs Bureau.

"Half a year has passed and Boonham has done a very good job."

Cultural missionary

"I didn't know exactly what a neigbourhood committee was at first but I later realized it voluntarily serves local people," said Boonham.

"That's what I like to do. I'm the first foreign neigbourhood committee member, but I'm sure I won't be the last."

Boonham, who said he was "surprised and excited" when elected as a committee member, quite enjoys his work with the committee.

Boonham won his fame not only for his community work, but also for his interests in Chinese culture, including singing Chinese songs and taking part in Chinese drum dancing.

After his performance at the community party to celebrate the Spring Festival in February, Boonham became the most popular singer in the community with his "Xuanze (Choice)," a well-known Chinese love song, originally by Hong Kong-based pop star couple George Lam and Sally Yeh.

"His Chinese songs always receive the warmest welcome by the audience at community evenings," said Zhang Linbao, head of the committee. Now Boonham is preparing another song for the coming annual summer evening of the community, she said.

Playing the lead for a waist drum dance team, Boonham beats the biggest drum in the team, according to Zhang.

Speaking fluent Shanghai dialect, Boonham also works as a host whenever the community holds entertainment activities. He also works as an interpreter for the committee and provides free oral English courses for committee members.

"He (Boonham) does help bring us (Chinese and foreign residents) closer, despite our language barriers," said Zhang.

"The foreigners' participation in local community activities is part of Shanghai's open cosmopolitan culture," said Pu Xingzu, a sociologist with Shanghai-based Fudan University.

Earlier last month, Boonham was named one of the "Top 10 Outstanding Youths of Pudong District" for 2003 by the district government, for his contribution to his local community.

Indulging in local culture

Having graduated from Australia's Macquarie University with a master's degree in applied finance, Boonham has long been fascinated with Chinese history and culture. He studied Chinese for five years in Sydney before coming to Shanghai in 2001.

Jason, his wife Yue Xuemei and their two children.

When he was in university, Boonham had volunteered to work at local welfare homes and emergency medical centres.

"Helping others makes me happy," he said.

In September 2001 he came to Shanghai, working as business development manager for the Commonwealth Bank of Australia's joint venture insurance company with China Life.

Boonham has continued his charity involvement. He collected hundreds of old toys from his neighbours and donated them to a local orphanage in the name of the community.

"That's probably the most meaningful thing I've ever done during the past two years," he said.

"I enjoy seeing the cheery faces of kids when they are playing with the toys."

Traditional family

Since his first visit to China in 1993, Boonham returned every year before he took his job with the Australian bank. He said he has made lots of Chinese friends and found his true love.

Boonham now enjoys a happy life in Shanghai with Chinese wife Yue Xuemei, their two children and her parents.

"Boonham is a straight person, honest and warm-hearted," said Yue, who comes from Beijing.

"We first met each other in a dumpling restaurant near Beijing's Ditan Park with a group of friends," she recalled. "It was September 25, 1997. We later fell in love." Two years later, Yue flew to Sydney to marry Boonham.

"I think I made the right choice. He is a responsible and dependable husband," she said.

"Boonham is a well-raised boy," said Gao Shuqin, Boonham's mother-in-law, who helps take care of her two grandchildren.

However, she used to strongly oppose her daughter's relationship with Boonham.

"We are a very traditional Chinese family and we had never imagined our daughter would marry a foreigner," said Gao.

"But his sincerity has finally moved us. His Chinese is really good."

Even if the couple quarrel, they make up the next day, according to Gao.

Boonham, who at first also worried whether he could get along with his in-laws, now enjoys his harmonious family life.

"I am very satisfied but sometimes a little bit uneasy," said Boonham, since his parents-in-law did most of the housework and cooked Chinese dishes everyday.

"I like Chinese food so much that my wife call me 'a big trash can' because I always eat up everything they cook," Boonham said with a laugh.

"All of our worries have gone and we are now living just like a traditional Chinese family."

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