ALTHOUGH you wouldn't say Daniel Listopadskii was the new Phileas Fogg or Christopher Columbus, he would certainly have enough to circumnavigate the world if he had collected air miles from his travels as a young boy.

The Russian-born student has done a bit of traveling in his formative years and as a consequence of that can speak fluent Mandarin and a little Shanghainese, after seven years in the city he came to live in as a 17-year-old.

“I can say just a little, but I can understand maybe 60 to 70 percent of Shanghainese,” says Listopadskii, who recently worked as a part-time manager of a Western chain restaurant, Green and Safe, in Shanghai.

The 24-year-old says he learned to talk and understand the language from the city’s many lao ayi (elderly women in Shanghainese) and proudly calls himself “a new Shanghainese.”

Listopadskii had dreams of becoming a professional footballer as a boy. He showed promise but a knee injury curtailed his career. Despite the setback of not being able to play at the highest standard, the Russian is still involved in the game as a soccer coach training youngsters.

He juggles football and the restaurant with his learning. Now in the last semester of his university study, Listopadskii has a big decision to make soon, whether to stay in the city he has fallen in love with or seek out pastures new in another country.

“I need to make some more decisions about what to do with the rest of my life, which is hard,” the St Petersburg man says. “And to be honest, I’m afraid. I’m brave, but I’m still afraid.”

Q: Can you share your life before you came to Shanghai?

A: I lived in Thailand from the age of 4 to 6. I could speak fluent Thai but forgot my Russian mother language. So when my mother decided to move back to St Petersburg, I had to study Russian because I could not communicate with anyone.

My love of soccer evolved a year after I returned home and I played every day for seven years until I got a problem with my knee. My family were not well off and they couldn't afford for me to have surgery so I had to give up on my dream and find normal work.

My first job was selling ice cream, as a 14-year-old, while my second job was in a museum. I had to clean up all the plastic blue covers visitors wore over their shoes when inside the museum. I also sold souvenirs. I made enough money to buy my first watch and clothes. But I soon realized that studying and living in Russia was not that good. I believe St Petersburg is the best city in Russia but I did not like the lifestyle.

I started to do some research on which jobs I could do. I thought maybe I could do finance. I found out that on China's mainland, Shanghai is the financial center and I moved here in 2011 after high school.

Then I found a university where I could study Chinese language. I did Chinese language courses for two years, all paid by myself, from my savings. But I started to run out of money and had to do some part-time jobs in China.

The first job was acting in a TV series, which was pretty poor quality, but it gave me money. At that time it was about 1,000 yuan (US$153.3) per day.

Then I started doing my bachelor’s degree in finance, thanks to a scholarship from the Shanghai government, so my school was all free. But I still needed to pay for my accommodation. So I started tutoring Russian to Chinese kids and working in a restaurant.

A friend of mine then introduced me to coaching soccer to kids. I still have a problem with my knee, but I can coach, although I can’t play serious soccer.

I’m really enjoying my two jobs. I’ve nearly finished my bachelor’s now, and am doing an internship.

Q: Any interesting or impressive stories related to Shanghai?

A: I’m in love with soccer and the head coach of one of Russia’s biggest teams, Zenit St Petersburg, who moved to Shanghai SIPG, came to my restaurant.

It was a normal day in the restaurant and all of a sudden a huge queue emerged at lunch time. One of the group asked for a table for four. It was in wintertime and the only table I had left was in a really cold place. I asked the guys if they would mind sitting in a cold place.

They said they didn’t mind, and then I saw André Villas-Boas!

My heart skipped a beat! I was thinking, ‘How can it be?’ So, I asked him, “Are you Mr Boas?” He had no security or anything! Then I told him where I’m from, and he was really surprised. That was great. I was so happy at that moment.

Q: Which places do you like best in Shanghai?

A: I would say Xuhui District, like the former French concession, or areas around Xinle Road. It’s the old Shanghai.

I like a lot of trees and small roads, not huge roads, like those in Pudong which are really enormous.

My favorite road would have to be Huaihai Road M. — mainly for walking — because it’s pretty long. It’s the one street where you can see everything, from modern, huge shopping malls to old, tiny houses.

Q: What elements or aspects of Shanghai do you like best?

A: I love the Shanghainese people.

For example, I lived in Hongkou District, not far away from Hongkou Football Stadium, three years ago. I always went to a caichang — a wet market — to buy meat and vegetables. All the time I saw lao ayi everywhere, they helped me like my own grandmother. They always asked how I was and what I was going to eat. Although we did not know each other they made me feel like family, so warm.

For me, it’s easier to accept that, and easier to become like Shanghainese. I feel like I’m becoming a “new Shanghainese!”

Q: What do you dislike about Shanghai?

A: The subway doors are always frustrating because when they open, it is hard to get out. In my city, it’s simple: When the doors open, the passengers get off, and only then can new passengers get on. It comes from education. There are just too many people and they need to learn to wait.

Apart from that, though, I think the Shanghai subway system is great. It’s really convenient and easy to understand. Every day I take subway.

Q: Apart from subway etiquette, is there anything lacking in Shanghai compared with your city?

A: I think one thing that is hard, and it’s not a Shanghai problem, but a Chinese problem. Children should be educated on how to talk to people, run and eat.

I think it’s related to early education. Maybe it’s the one-child policy, one family has only one child. Parents need to work so kids are raised by grandparents. Kids are like princes and princesses.

I’ve coach children from 3 to 15 years old for two years. Once a 4-year-old kid’s mother came to me and said: “Coach Daniel, thank you so much. My kid has made some changes at home.”

I realized that when you teach them how to play the soccer, you help make a person. For example, kids wear sleeveless garments when they play soccer. After finishing the exercise, the kids need to learn to take it off and fold it up. If they need to drink water, they need to do it themselves. If a 3-year-old kid can not reach the water tap, I will hold them up.

This helps them grow up. That’s my point of view on education.