Mike and Jessica

[Neil]

that sounds like a really cool way to learn ....

before I left China I watched Jessica at the computer .... when she looks at the keyboard she is just baffled, and when she types something in she hunts down the letters, ok, where is "H" and now "E" and "LL" and then "O"

and HELLO appears ....

she has NO CLUE how to write a chinese word using a computer keyboard

.... NOT A CLUE ....

so how does Nina do that ?

I don't know how she does it normally, but she's an absolute whiz at typing pinyin.  I asked her about it one time and she said she had a real good boss that paid for her to take courses.  she can finger type on an english keyboard.  she'll type a pinyin word and up pops like 5 or 6 Chinese symbols and she chooses the right one for her meaning.  I don't know if this is a seperate program she uses though.  

so like if she types "ren" and then a number to choose the right word, she can type sentences quickly without using a mouse too.  I believe that might even be a keyboard setting but I could be wrong.I'll ask her about it next time.

[brett]

I'd like to know how to type chinese characters as well. I have tried the Windows pinyin thing and it works in Word for some words. However I can't seem to get characters to appear that have different tones.

I had more luck with Japanese - I can type hirigana and katakana OK.

One trick I have with google is to translate the english into chinese, then back into english. If the end result is the starting english text then the translation is good enough to send to the lady! I am starting to figure out simplified english that translates perfectly. Unfortunately my chinese is now getting better but my english is deteriorating.

This will make your lady laugh:

??

[Hajo]

Hello Mike,

Ask Nina to get the following program from the Internet: sou gou pinyin shuru  . It makes it very easy to type pinyin. She types just the beginning of the pinyin phrase and the program shows her the Chineses letters. My wife uses it very much. For example, if she wants to write Zai jian she only types z'j and the software shows her the Chinese signs for Zai jian. Push the enter button and the program writes the signs on the screen.

Another helpful program is Youdaodict. It is an translation program in Chinese.

I hope it helps you!

[feisnik]

Google has a great free PinYin program too. It is at http://www.google.com/ime/pinyin/

[Manuel]

I've signed for Transparent Language Word of the Day newsletter and I think is quite useful. Everyday you receive a new word written in chinese and pinyin and an example sentence, usually a common daily one. Besides you can go to the web site and hear a native speaker pronouncing them

They also have a blog with posts about interesting and useful subjects

http://www.transparent.com

[heckerd]

You can type pinyin Windows as its built in but you just have to activate it.

[Bob]

Guys,

it has been a while since I updated here .... not much news ...

I am getting the idea that Jessica works a lot of long hard hours, and does not have much time for QQ, or Webcam.

When we do connect it is a wonderful event for each of us. And not being a computer person, email for her is like a formality .... she told me this morning she will read her email soon, and her daughter will help her .... so looks like that will happen on the weekend ...

I told her about Skype, which I was using in China and she saw me using it .... and I emailed her the link for the Chinese interface....

I also told her that she could get help to be able to enter Chinese Words directly into the PC. Right now she writes into the Besta, translates to English and then hen pecks the result into the PC for me to read ...... very slow ...

Mostly I type a lot of statements and questions into Google, translate into Chinese, and post it for her to see and say YES, or NO, I can do it much faster then she can type a single line out to me.

We talk as much as we can .... and see each other on video webcam, I still cannot get both running at the same time ..... so far we had that working only once ... and I can't seem to get it to work since.

We have had 2 webcam sessions since I returned from China as we have both been busy, and it has been hard to coordinate .... which is why I hope she learns to use email more regularly, and more easily.

The trouble with email is ... just like text IM, she is not able to input directly into the computer ..... and I need her to ask someone for help with this.

When we do connect on Webcam it completely confirms our love for each other, and our commitment to each other, and how each of us are now looking forward to building a future together.

Also one morning when I connected with Jessica, my daughter was here, and they got to meet each other.... it was a lot of fun, and both of them were happy and excited over it... They really clicked, and I could see they each liked the other very much.

I am still telling friends and family, one by one about Jessica, and working that through .... My brother and his wife were very surprised, and I am sure a few friends of mine from church will be surprised too ...

Mike

Mike, as I have already mentioned in past posts, (just a suggestion) Why not ask Jessica to buy a TABLET pad with pen?, this would make it SOOOO much easier for her to write to you in Chinese. As you probably know the tablet pad plugs directly into the USB on the computer,no computer skills required once the software is installed.  Jessica just has to write (in Chinese) using the tablet and pen in the text windows, and hit "send" That's it. Nothing else for her to do, she won't have to sit there with the Besta and translate everything then re-type into the computer. I am sure she would like that, since it is much easier for her to do, and it would take much less time for her to write a letter. The tablets are not that expensive, and it comes with the software, perhaps she could ask someone to install that for her, once that is done it will be smooth sailing.:icon_biggrin:  

This is what my wife is using and it really works great, this is just one option that could really help Jessica communicate easier with you,

I am just trying to help.:icon_cool:

[Bob]

Mike, I understand,  

This is totally up to you, I do not want to cause any problems with all of this, but if you like my wife is in China and I could ask her to phone Jessica and she can explain it all to her, how she uses the tablet and the ease of communication, Again this is totally up to you if you want that or not. If you are interested then please send me a PM.

Wish you and Jessica all the best.:icon_cool:

[Scottish_Rob]

Mike...Nice relaxed pictures of your sweetie...

[brett]

Wow, lovely photos.

I must admit I don't know how my lady types Chinese characters. But as she has a job in IT and is part of the internet generation she's a real wizard at it.

There is an online pinyin editor here: http://www.chinese-tools.com/tools/ime.html

I can type chinese characters in Word if I know the pinyin, but I don't know how to enter the different tone marks.

Today her English translator website was down, but we managed to have a conversation entirely in chinese characters. I use the google translator:

http://translate.google.co.uk/?hl=en-GB&ie=UTF-8&tab=wT#

But I have a nice trick in that I translate the chinese back into English. If the resulting text is the same as my original text then it is good to send to the lady.

I find some sentences confoundingly difficult to translate though although I am beginning to understand.

If anything goes wrong, I write "my chinese is terrible" - this phrase translates well and my girl loves it when I write it!

Don't forget to throw in an occasional compliment about your girl!

Type "88" when you leave the conversation and your girl will think you're going native.

[Rhonald]

Yes Mike great pictures and happy webcaming.:icon_biggrin:

[David E]

There is an online pinyin editor here: http://www.chinese-tools.com/tools/ime.html

Thanks Brett, that is a very useful tool....I can type pin yin and copy/paste the resultant characters into my Transwhiz translator...and convert to English......works very well !!!

DavidE

[Sylvain D]

Mike, sorry to not have replied to your story up to now.
I've readed many parts of it, and I can understand the "hard way" Jessica can may have when she got her computer (how to connect and so on). Maybe sometimes, for us, it is "easy" but it is not really for some others. Then, the best thing to do is to be "patient", but it seems anyway that you are, so there's no problem at all about it
by the way, how many hours difference you have between your city and in China? because when I read your newest replies, you just talk about a few sessions on QQ / webcams.
However, if each time you see each other and are happy, it's the best thing for both of you
I may can understand some of your friends who will be surprised of your lovestory with Jessica, just because I got the same with my friends ^^' (there's a quarter in Paris where man can see many many chinese people, so most of time, some of my friends say me "go in Paris, no in China, you fool"... but when I give them my point of view about it, some of them do better understand... some others no, but anyway, it's my life, right? ^^'

by the way, I also forgot to say : nice pics about Jessica, it's nice to see how smily she is on the pictures

[Neil]

It would be sweet if it worked out better for you, since you'd both be immigrants to Canada.  You'd be gainfully employed here.  Nothing's ever easier though.  Canada doesn't have a fiance visa.  It's a tough situation.  It'll definitely take some research to figure out.

Congrats on the job prospects.  Where in Canada would it be?  Toronto I imagine.  

I firmly believe that the harder a situation is, the more satisfying it is when it works out in the end.  Good luck Mike!

[Rhonald]

I can live and work in Canada by way of a visa or work permit or whatever the paperwork needed is called ...

Thats the problem we have here....too many illegal aliens sneeking across our border :icon_cheesygrin:

Best of luck Mike and I guess if you get the job it will not be paid in pesos - instead, Bever pelts...good old fashion bever pelts :sleepy:

Also make sure you bring an electronic translator to understand Canadianish Ah