HE'S AUSSIE, but talks like a Singaporean. S-League footballer Aleksandar Duric, his wife Natasha and their children Isabella, five, and Alessandro, three, pose with - what else - a football. -- WANG HUI FEN

He grew up in the former Yugoslavia which, after four tumultuous years of wars and 'ethnic cleansing' in the early 1990s, is now separately Slovenia, Macedonia, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro, and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

For him, as it was with many other youths in his homeland, sports was not just a hobby but a way to see the world.

'In a communist country, if you are a top sportsman, your future is very bright. Trust me, you can be a doctor in my country, and still not get paid as much.'

The training paid off with a place on the country's Barcelona Olympics kayak team in 1992.

Later, in 1995, soccer got him playing three years for South Melbourne FC - and securing an Australian passport. After that, he spent another two years playing for China Super League in Beijing.

But since 1999, he has made his home here. He has settled in so well that, in his words: 'When I call StarHub, they tell me: 'You sure you foreigner?'

The permanent resident picked up Singlish from his teammates, along with just about every major award in Singapore football. He is currently with Singapore Armed Forces FC.

The 37-year-old and his wife of seven years, 31-year-old yoga teacher Natasha, love their home off Holland Road, where they live with their five-year-old daughter Isabella, and three-year-old son, Alessandro.

Q What are your earliest memories of playing soccer?

A Before training, the coach would throw some boots on the field and the fastest kids would get the good boots as we were very poor! That made me run faster.

Q How does a land-locked lad from Bosnia-Herzegovina wind up kayaking in the Olympics?

A I was born next to the river and enjoyed swimming and fishing when I was a kid.

Q In Singapore, sportsmen do not command anywhere near Ronaldhino's US$30 million (S$46 million). How would you describe your expat lifestyle?

A We are quite frugal and both of us work very hard and it's not easy. We live like Singaporeans. Expats are not all the same.

Q During the Balkan War when overnight, ethnic civil strife erupted between Serbs and Bosnians in 1991 - how did you cope?

A I left my country in 1990 to travel to Sweden to play professional football, thinking I'd come back in two years, but I never got to say goodbye to my mother - she died in the war. It was the most difficult time of my life. I tried to get back in, but they wouldn't let me.

For years, I only heard that my father and my brother were still alive from people coming through - I had no contact. They survived, and I met them only 10 years after I left the country. But it was awful, awful. It was such a struggle for me, and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

Q What does your homeland - founded on the beliefs of philosophers and intellectuals - have in common with Singapore's brief 42-year history?

A The disciplined lifestyle and ethics. When I was young, there were no crime and drugs, which is what Singapore reminds me of so much.

Every year I watch the National Day Parade and I remember watching the same parade in my country.

That, and families are also very tight-knit here. I still keep in touch with all my family who survived, and we talk very often online and on the phone.

Q The war in your homeland claimed about 250,000 lives. What do you hope your children would never experience?

A The pain and hunger and the loss of loved ones during a war.

Q You've lived in Bosnia, Australia, Beijing and now Singapore - what's life like here, by comparison?

A We are more exposed to more cultures and have a more international outlook. But the pace is a lot faster than in Melbourne, and life is more stressful, and I miss having easy access to outdoor activities. Singapore kids are so stressed out, they don't have time to spend outdoors, but everybody should try. Sports is good.

Q As a Singapore permanent resident, are you planning to take up citizenship here?

A Yes. I've already applied twice - and been rejected twice. But to be honest, I feel more Singaporean than Australian. Sometimes when I visit Australia, I even say, 'no lah!', instead of just 'no'.

Q Why choose Singapore over Australia?

A I lived in Australia for three years, and in China, and when I finished, my manager at that time suggested Singapore - and that's how I wound up here.

We've talked about moving, but we have settled here so well that one of my friends remarked: 'I think you will be here always, after soccer I must find you something else to keep you here for good!'

Anyway, it's cheaper to fly from here to Australia than from Australia to here.

Q How did you meet your wife?

A I was in Melbourne on a short visit, and met my wife through a friend who was a goalkeeper. When I told her I play football professionally, she said: 'Do we have a pro league in Australia?'

serengl@sph.com.sg

Tip
Have Singapore friends who can help you and give you an insight into the culture. A lot of expats tend to mix only with other expats, which is bad.