Most foreigners these days are welcomed to Xinjiang with open arms. There is, however, a list of foreigners – both past and present – who will forever be scorned in the Xinjiang history books. This is the Xinjiang Most-Wanted Foreigners List.

On July 5th 2009, one day after America celebrated the anniversary of its freedom, a group of people on the other side of the world were forced to live without theirs.

On this day one year ago riot police were called into a toy factory in Guangdong to break up a brawl between Han and Uyghur workers. By the time calm had been restored 2 Uyghur had died and over 100 other people were injured.

You can hear the unique song announcing its approach like The Entertainer does the ice cream truck. Except unlike the ice cream truck people don’t run towards this music, they run away! Check out this hilarious video…

Xinjiang police in Urumqi held an anti-riot training exercise while Uyghur representatives warn of protests. What could this be other than a countdown leading up to the one-year anniversary of the July 5th riots.

Over the next couple of weeks there will undoubtedly be much written – both here and in the international press – about the July 5th anniversary.  Before that storm begins, however, I would like to share with you a more personal anniversary that I am celebrating today.

Despite my aversion to diets, I lost close to 10 kg (22 lbs) on in my first year in China! A lot of this can be attributed to more walking, a better sleep schedule, and the occasional post-restaurant stomach virus I like to call Mao’s Revenge, but I think there was a little more at work here. Let me explain…

It’s been a long time in the making, but I’m excited to finally be able to share with you one of my favorite experiences living in Xinjiang.
This week will be dedicated to an incredible Xinjiang tradition known as the Uyghur wedding.

What do Bill Gates and the province of Xinjiang have in common? Expand your useless China trivia with this fun list of Xinjiang facts.

About this time last year I was invited by a good Uyghur friend to take part in one of Xinjiang’s most popular pastimes: the BBQ. Having spent part of his life behind a Xinjiang kebab stand outside the province my friend shared with me the secrets that make the kebabs in Xinjiang that much better than those beyond the provincial borders.