We are an online success story – an online dating success story that is! When we first met (talk about being nervous!) at a local restaurant, we ordered drinks and Paul said “Cheers!” and Sylvie said “Chin chin!”. Paul said “What the heck does that mean?”

As it turns out, it is the French way to say “Cheers!”.  Italians have their own version “Cin cin” pronounced the same way. The ancient Mandarin origins of the word, no longer used today, is “Qing qing”. British and European Renaissance merchants returning from China started using qing qinq which eventually evolved to chin chin.

Since that first date, Sylvie and Paul have been “chin chinning” every single morning of every single day when we have our coffee. Chin Chin!