Culture
Entrepreneurial American sees his future in China
By William Axford (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-07-20 07:48
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Nearly 100 Chinese people circled a spectacle of live music, break dancing and gymnastic talent. Anyone watching the event could easily have labeled it a traveling circus act, complete with its own actors and stage performances.
The most intriguing part of the event wasn't the action - it was the Caucasian man in the center of it all, the ringleader with a microphone in hand.
"You want me to speak Chinese?" he said to the crowd in English.
They cheered him on and he complied, causing the crowd to erupt in applause.
It was July 4 but instead of Americans being festive, it was Chinese people who had come out on a hot summer night.
The man in the middle was Benjamin Heisler, an American who has been living in China for the past five years.
He has participated in dozens of events in order to meet new friends and to build a network of contacts in Beijing.
He has ambition and plans to build a future here in China.
"I want to let more Chinese know American street culture," he said.
"I don't know if I can ever go back to America," he said with a grin, as he took a break from his role as emcee.
"I don't want to work in an office. I just can't do it. I want to keep my dreams alive."
Part of that dream includes starting a clothing line called Houmenr, or "back door" in Chinese.
The clothing line focuses on skateboarding and hip-hop culture. Heisler and a few friends make the products themselves.
Though it hasn't earned much money yet, he hopes that he will attract investors through friends and events he attends.
"Houmenr means going the back way to do things. Some people might look at it as the wrong way of doing things but I think it means being creative, doing things your own way," he said.
Heisler also has other plans.
"I want to open a caf where foreigners and Chinese people can meet each other," he said. "There are a few college students that are excited about the idea and want to be a part of it."
Heisler used to work for the information technology department of the United States Defense Department, where he updated and maintained computers. Realizing that working in an office wasn't part of his dream, his sense of adventure led him across the Pacific.
Heisler taught English in Taipei for two years and then for three years in Beijing.
He taught himself Chinese in his spare time, purposely seeking out those who didn't speak English and repeating their words until he knew the language himself.
"I would ride my motorcycle and practice my Chinese with people in the countryside," he said. "I also spent hours studying in libraries after teaching until I became fluent."
His fluency and total emersion in the culture may have brought him a large social circle but it comes with a price. He's spent years building a career and is beginning to feel the pressure.
"I'm 31 years old and there's a bit of pressure on me," he said. "I owe a lot of money. But I've been working hard, real hard. I had a stall at a music event last February. You know how cold it is then?"
When it comes to the events that he organizes, Heisler concedes that he loses money most of the time. But the connections he makes with new people makes it worthwhile, he said.
"You just gotta try. You'll never know until you put yourself out there," he said.
A smile chased away his moment of doubt when he picked up the microphone and introduced the next act.
He said he believes whole-heartedly that he can achieve anything he puts his mind to.
"Artists just do their stuff and don't worry about it. I'm the same way, just trying to do my own thing," he said.
True to his word, Heisler ended the event by talking to new friends about the next event that he's planning. The party doesn't stop, and neither does his work ethic.
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