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Mass Uyghur Wedding in Turpan, Xinjiang (100+ couples!!!)

August 22 | No Comments

Living in Xinjiang has been a non-stop adventure for me – I love it! I have incredible memories of experiencing local festivals, traveling the province on my motorcycle and visiting small villages near the border of Kazakhstan. Memories like these are often created but every once in a while they just appear in front of you […]

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Joining 40,000 Muslims Breaking Ramadan in Kashgar

July 29 | No Comments

My alarm went off at 5:30am local time this morning and the sky was already filled with the soft light of dawn. This is only my 3rd day here in Kashgar, a lively desert oasis on the western edge of Xinjiang. Although the intense heat has consistently drained me of energy, I was surprisingly excited to jump […]

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Celebrating the Kazkh People of Xinjiang (Nowruz in China)

April 28 | No Comments

This last weekend I was privileged to attend a late Nowruz celebration put on by the Kazakh Consul here in Urumqi, Xinjiang. It was a beautiful display of traditional Kazakh costume, Kazakh singing, and even some Kazakh wrestling.

My favorite memory, however, was a personal concert given me by a talented young Kazakh Dombra player. I don’t know if I’ve ever witnessed such fast strumming in my life…

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Learn the Uyghur Language: A Beginners Textbook Review

March 6 | No Comments

So you’re thinking about learning Uyghur, eh?

There aren’t a whole lot of resources available for learning the Uyghur language, but if you are planning to live in Xinjiang someday you’re probably desperate for something.

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Silk Road of Pop: A Look at Modern Uyghur Music

June 5 | No Comments

There’s a new documentary named The Silk Road of Pop. It’s a fascinating look at “age-old roots of the Uyghur music culture in Kashgar, metal bands combining local folk music & Western hard rock in their wild performances, and hip-hop crews honing their skills in the smoky basements of communist block towers.”

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Lesson in Central Asian Etiquette for Uyghur and Kazakh

April 11 | No Comments

Invited to a Uyghur wedding? Sleeping in a Kazak Yurt? Traveling during a religious festival? Take this quick lesson on Central Asian etiquette and you’ll be ready for any situation you face in Xinjiang.

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