I'm getting married...

Yes it's true, the rumours are correct - I really am getting married in China. The girl I'm marrying is Miss 刘璇, romanised as Líu Xuán and pronouced like this. Miss Líu (Family names are written first in Chinese) is also known by her English name, Apple. In case your computer cannot display the Chinese or the romanisation, then there should be a picture to the right with her name in three different fonts and the pinyin romanisation below. The literal translation of Líu is "to weigh in the hand" and Xuán means "Beautiful Jade" or "Star". Both characters are only really used as names though, so it's a bit like looking Matthew up in the dictionary. These days Chinese women do not change their names when marrying.

Apple is currently a student at Sichuan University in Chengdu studying English Language and Translation. She graduates in July 2004 and is hoping to finish her taught courses by January 2004. She's neither pregnant nor seeking an English passport. For that matter I'm not pregnant either and already have an English passport!

Apple's an outdoor enthusiast and rapidly learning to cave. I'm rapidly learning to cycle again. Apple speaks much better English than I speak Chinese although we're both studying pretty hard at the moment. We met in April 2003 where Apple was employed as a translator and myself as a cave scientist on the same project in Lushan, Sichuan. We've spent most of our time since then together and are obviously planning to continue to do so.

We haven't set a date for the wedding yet, but it's likely to be early July and will probably a church do in Beijing followed by a meal for close familly and friends - given that Beijing is a long way to travel to for pretty much everyone and the bride and groom's famillies can't communicate!