From outsider to respected teacher

To his colleagues and students, Nurmemet Tuniyaz is no longer just "the Xinjiang guy", but a respected teacher of English who's known for his strong work ethic and athletic physique.

The 42-year-old, from the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, has followed the same routine since he began teaching at the Beijing Space Middle School in 2003. He always arrives at 7 am, 20 minutes earlier than his colleagues, even though he has to take his 7-year-old son to a nearby primary school first.

"My son has to wait at the gate for nearly half an hour because he's required to get to school by 7:15 am," Nurmemet said, "He's well cared for there; everyone knows him."