American in Beijing lives his Chinese dream

Terry Crossman has spent 20 years in the city he now calls home

Wearing his bright red armband and speaking fluent Mandarin, from a distance 62-year-old Gao Tianrui could be taken for any regular Chinese man.

But on closer inspection, things are not quite what they seem: Gao's real name is Terry and he is from the United States. Having lived in Beijing for more than 20 years, Terry Crossman has finally fulfilled his Chinese dream: becoming a public security volunteer. Life as a "Xicheng Dama" has even made him an online celebrity.