I am sharing my taxi to Shache with three other Uighur people. One of them is an older lady of about 60 years. She worked as a teacher so her Chinese is very good. She is very interested in me and asks me dozens of questions, about my life, my studies and my family. She tells me about Rabeya K. and she knows that the Uighur have some kind of organization in Munich. She thinks it is great that our chancellor is a woman and that so many different peoples live in Germany.
The Uighur lady has four children, three daughters and a son. Her son had died in a car crash in 2006 when he was heading home for Spring Festival. His wife and their two sons survived. The oldest son, now 13 years old, just looks like his father and their wish is to send him on a good university for a better life.
All in a sudden the lady tells me that she wants to be my Uighur mother, if I had any problems I should just call her. She invites me to her house to have dinner with her and her family. She especially would love me to become good friends with her oldest grandson. If he should ever make it to Germany, he could call me.

This was quite a weird conversation!

While I am sitting on a bench on this large square in the centre of Shache, I get to know yet another person. He is 14 years old, Uighur, and his name is Alisher. I am totally struck by his English which he learned from his mother who is an English teaching at Shache Middle School. He asks me if he can join me a little while – he would love to show me around in HIS Shache. I say okay and we start walking. He takes me to this beautiful park and he is obviously proud to walk beside me. The kids in his age come by, they stare at me and usually don’t say a word. Some of them ask Alisher where I come from and what we are doing. Alisher’s dream is to enter a good university, become an interpreter and get in touch with many different people. He takes me to the old city, explains me some things we are seeing on our way. At the same time he wants to know everything about the Western way of life. He plays the traditional Uighur guitar and he likes reading news on the internet. He feels very sorry about the tragedy which happened in Japan and he asks me about the recent developments in Libya.

”I bet you have never met such a friendly person in your life like me, wanting to show you around in his hometown, have you?” Well, indeed, I think it is the first time in my life to meet such an incredible young person…

Arrived in Shache (Yarkand):


Donkey carts ruling the streets


After a long day - finally some rest


Saturday afternoon walk