Chinese hospitality continues...

This morning I slept in. Afterwards, I called Suliya. She is a friend of Lijun and had offered to show me around the city and spend the day with me, since Lijun herself is not here. That is incredibly kind of her. Interestingly, I actually met Lijun in a somewhat similar way back in 2010: while doing an internship in Beijing, I met a Chinese woman on an excursion who invited me to visit her in Jinan. When I eventually went to Jinan, she had an important university commitment that she simply could not reschedule and therefore couldn't meet me. So Lijun volunteered to step in and spend the day with me instead. Since then, I have met Lijun several times, both in China and in Switzerland, and we have remained friends — which is exactly why I am now able to stay at her parents' apartment.

And now Suliya had offered to spend the day with me here. When I spoke with her on the phone and mentioned that I hadn't had breakfast yet, she immediately invited me to her home. She said they had plenty of food because of the Eid al-Adha (Kurban Festival) celebrations.

Just after I finished the phone call, Lijun’s mother came back to the apartment and suggested that we go together to a scenic area nearby, something we had talked about the previous evening but never firmly arranged. However, I had already discussed with Suliya that I would focus on the city’s sights today and had just agreed to take a taxi to her place. Lijun’s mother then suggested they simply drive me there instead, saving me the taxi ride. So the three of us went together to Suliya’s home.

Suliya comes from a Uyghur family, which is why they celebrate this festival. Han Chinese generally do not celebrate it, but they also enjoy one or more public holidays during which many people do not have to work. That was the reason Lijun’s parents had time to spend with me — another stroke of incredible luck on my journey. I was especially happy to have the opportunity to visit a Uyghur family during this holiday. After all of us had eaten, drunk tea, and talked together, Lijun’s parents said goodbye, and Suliya and I went off to explore the city.

Besides the mainstream tourist attractions we visited together — including an accordion museum with a live performance — Suliya and I also had many deep and meaningful conversations. After leaving her home, we mainly spoke English, as English had been her field of study at university and she speaks it very well. Before long, we were already discussing very personal topics, and it felt as though we were good friends who had known each other for years. That feeling continued during our meal together at a restaurant. I am simply grateful for such openness, because the conversations were rich and meaningful. I learned a great deal not only about her personally but also about Uyghur culture and the changes and developments taking place in society.

After dinner, we walked through a park and later met one of Suliya’s friends in a café. She is also Uyghur and her name is Subi. She is highly adventurous and enjoys travelling and hiking extensively. For example, she has already visited the Everest Base Camp on the Chinese side, which lies at an altitude of 5,200 metres. I would also like to thank her for her openness and the wonderful conversations. At the moment, I feel as though I will never be alone in China. Though perhaps that may change depending on where my journey takes me.

In any case, when we said goodbye shortly after midnight, Suliya told me, “See you in Ürümqi!” Since that is where she lives, I am already looking forward to seeing her again very soon.