Mango Languages

Feature Friday: Meet New Mango: Meagan Snavely

Mango is growing and fast! Thanks to all of you!

We are so excited to welcome Meagan Snavely to the Mango Team. Meagan heard about Mango through a friend in the Deaf community here in Michigan and then saw Mango a job fair. She went to Michigan State University and majored in psychology with a minor in educational studies. She absolutely loves learning, so much so that directly after graduating, she went to Lansing Community College to study American Sign Language through its Interpreter Training Program where she was introduced to Deaf culture and fell in love with this culture!

Meagan will be answering phones, helping customers with questions, and saving the world one Mango customer activation at a time. Her title here is “People Pleaser.” We love that about her!

Other things you MUST know about Meagan are: she is still completely fascinated by American Sign Language. Which is great because Mango is developing an ASL program. Woo hoo! She loves to take risks and chopped all of her hair off to donate it to kids with Alopecia. In doing so, she has found a new love for scarves! Some of her other loves include: word games, things that make you think, and laughing. She is very excited to be a part of the Mango Team and we are so glad to have her here!

Please help us welcome Meagan to the Mango Grove!

Theory Thursday: Listening, not just hearing, Global voices

Happy Thursday Everyone!

For those who have not yet heard about TED Talks, get ready to have your world rocked, (in a very educational way). TED is a nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing people together from the worlds of Technology, Entertainment and Design. TED.com now hosts the best talks and performances from TED and partners that are available to the world. They believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and ultimately, the world and we here at Mango couldn’t agree more.

In honor of Theory Thursday, I wanted to share a really interesting video from TED.com. Ethan Zeckerman, a researcher at the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University,  provides a really interesting discussion about the clever strategies to open up social media channels, such as Twitter, and read the news in languages you don’t even know.

Check out Zeckerman’s Talk, Listening to Global Voices. This Talk is thought provoking and inspiring. The Talk ties into social media and global communication and how much the two are interconnected this day and age.

We would love to hear your thoughts. How have you seen social media change global communication? What has your experience been like using social media to connect and understand international topics, relations and/or ideas?

World Wednesday: The Andes, Machu Picchu, and Guinea Pigs

A couple of years ago I got the opportunity to visit a friend in Peru. This is the ideal situation for me. I get to visit friends and get the “local” tours, not just the very touristy sites. They know all the secrets of where to go and when and the places that are super special. I also got to practice my Spanish!

On this visit I got to fly into Lima, Peru, and spend some time seeing the sights and sounds. We drove around to see all the famous government buildings and palaces. I loved the architecture that is clearly influenced by the Spanish. We also checked out a few ruins and even a church with catacombs. My favorite part of Lima is the beach. We went to Mira Flores a few times and just relaxed. We did get to go to a few dance clubs where I practiced my best salsa moves.

After a few days we took a 21 hour bus ride through the gorgeous Andes mountains to Cusco. A city that has so many Incan ruins and historical treasures. This bus ride was truly unique. Here I am thinking that this will be a great way to see the actual country and go off the beaten path. First, I will say I am so glad that I did this, but it is not for the faint at heart. This huge bus travels some very interesting terrain. We drove through the Andes mountains and encountered many a switchback and some of the tiniest roads I have ever seen. Driving in Peru on a normal day is a white knuckle experience, but on a huge bus with small roads, it becomes even scarier! There are no guard rails and I truly believe that no one would have known something happened to us for days if we got into an accident or the bus died. What I did get to see was some of the clearest blue skies and the night sky bejeweled with so many stars it didn’t even look real. I did get to meet some locals and made a couple of friends along the way. There was even a guy on the bus playing the guitar and everyone was singing together.

I was so glad to arrive in Cusco in one piece. It is definitely a touristy town with lots of shopping and restaurants. Overall the food was so good. However, I was shocked to see an odd food choice on the menus…Something called “Cuy chactado.” I was very curious as I had never heard of this before. Well folks…it is guinea pig. Yep, the same kind of animal I had as a pet when I was five. There was no way I could bring myself to eat it. But…guess what? They say it tastes like chicken. Of course!

We finally made it to Machu Picchu, and I was awestruck by the scenery, the view, the amazing condition of the Incan ruins with functioning aqua ducts, and the just general peacefulness there. Truly a wonder of the world! I don’t think I have ever breathed cleaner air! It is pretty high up in altitude so you do have to take it easy!

I have to admit we took the two hour plane back to Lima…as one 21 hour bus ride was enough for this gringa! If you ever get a chance to travel to Peru and take in the sights, I highly recommend it! And if you have you been to Peru…How was your experience?

Travel Tuesday: Driving Across India in a Beat-Up Rickshaw

Today’s blog comes from Scott Brills, a world traveler and a close friend of Mango’s for years. In September, Scott and his friend Mike traversed 2,000 miles across India in a rickshaw to raise money that would provide clean water and polio vaccinations for children in India. Learn more about his journey here.

“What in the world have I gotten myself into?”

That was the first thing I thought of when I woke up in my cheap hotel room around 6:00AM. I had spent the last few days in Shillong, India—a medium-size city in the northeastern state of Maghalaya. I was there because I had signed up to drive a three-wheeled rickshaw 2,000 miles across the country for charity. Today was September the 11^th—launch day.

This wasn’t even close to my first time abroad—it wasn’t even my first time doing a crazy charity rally—but this time things were a bit different. First off, this was India, home to some of the craziest drivers and worst roads in the world. Second, neither I nor my rally buddy, Mike, had test-driven our rickshaw yet. Seems as though our vehicle was still in the shop—hopefully it would be ready in time to start the event in a few hours. It was going to be a steep learning curve.

Mike and I joined the rest of the participants at the start line. It had started to sprinkle out, and the clouds weren’t looking good. Thirty minutes later, right as we all headed out onto the unforgiving highway, a torrent of water opened up from the sky, washing away the dirt road and drenching us in the process. We caught up to some other rickshaws just as the rain subsided, just in time for the one in front of us to lose a wheel. It flew off as the team was driving, and the rickshaw leaned over to the left, sending a shower of sparks our way as the rear brakes made contact with the pavement. They just barely made it to the side of the road without tipping, and we, along with some other teams, helped them get the wheel back on, making sure it was tightened properly this time around.

The next five hours of driving down the mountain towards the city of Guwahati would be some of the most stressful of our lives. Needless to say, I learned how to pilot that rickshaw pretty quickly, and by the end of that tumultuous first day I considered myself a pro.

* * *

The next two and a half weeks would be filled with crazy experiences of all times: breaking down over a dozen times in one day, getting lost (every day), trying all manner of new foods (lamb brain anyone?), dodging cows sleeping in the middle of city streets, avoiding rickshaw-sized potholes, losing our registration and insurance documents, forging said documents to attempt re-entry into India, and driving the last leg of the journey in 2^nd gear the entire way.

The first few days were the toughest, but every day provided us with a new set of challenges that we had to take on if we were ever going to get to the finish line in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. After rebuilding our engine from scratch on day three, we were good to go as far as propulsion goes, but just about every day a new problem cropped up (the rickshaws weren’t in the best condition, to put it lightly). We pretty much totally relied on the kindness of strangers along the way, neither of us being rickshaw mechanics. Within minutes of breaking down we could count on someone to stop and offer assistance. Some could speak better English than others, but seeing as our Hindi (or whichever of India’s 22 major recognized languages was prevalent in the area) wasn’t quite up to par, it had to suffice. Regardless, through body language and bits of English alone we were always able to get by. We met a whole load of interesting characters along the way—some more helpful than others, some more wanting of a “tip” than others—but we were thankful to each and every one of them. We traveled quite a way, and saw many amazing things, but the people we met along the way were definitely the highlight of our journey.

Seventeen days later we completed the trip—two thousand miles or so from where we had started off. It had been one of the most difficult, strenuous adventures of ou

r lives, and we were both kind of glad that it was finished (and definitely ready for the post-trip to Thailand to unwind for a bit). One can only do so many twelve hour days in a ramshackle rickshaw in a row!

I’d love to return to India again someday, but next time I’m going as a tourist—not a rickshaw driver.

For a full recount of Scott’s rally across India check out his blog at www.rickshawrunguys.com

Have you ever had an extreme adventure like Scott’s in another country? What was the most challenging part? What was the most rewarding?

Mango Monday: Afternoon Recharge

Dragging a little after a too-much-turkey weekend? Check out how Mangoes Yana and Carly recharge!

There is only so much coffee one can drink. When that 2:00 p.m. feeling rolls around, here at the Mango Grove, we try to take a healthier approach to get that second or ninth wind. We do a bridge pose. Doing the Bridge pose (also known as Setu Bandhasana in Yoga) will make you feel more alert in both body and mind. The pose opens up up your chest and increases blood circulation while rejuvenating your central nervous system. Right away you’ll feel like you drank a strong cup of coffee without even stepping into the kitchen. Let’s use some Hindi and say, “Namaste,” everyone!

Feature Friday: Meet New Mango, Nevrus Muftari

Mango is growing like crazy and we have several new team members to welcome to the Grove. Nevrus Muftari started in October as the Challenger of the Status Quo. He works with librarians and ensures they are happy with the Mango program and helps them with any training or questions they may have.

Nev (we call him that) has an interesting and diverse background. His dad was born in Macedonia and his mom was born in Germany but her family fled Albania in the forties when communism was prevalent. Approximately 35 years ago his parents met and married, then moved to Michigan. Nev speaks Albanian and English. He loves to travel. He has been to Australia, Mexico, Canada, Germany, Italy, Greece, Macedonia, and his favorite is Albania.

He worked for an online publisher and saw an article on Mango Languages and thought he could explore his love of languages at Mango. We are so happy to have him on the team.

Please help us welcome Nev!

World Wednesday: Happy Thanksgiving

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving in the United States and we wanted to wish everyone a safe and Happy Thanksgiving from the Mango family to yours! There are many traditions we have to celebrate this holiday…what do you do to celebrate?

Travel Tuesday: Home for the Holidays

Can you feel it in the air? Your imminent turkey coma, last minute gift buying at a jam-packed mall, and best of all, over-crowded, bustling airports. Yes, my friends, the holidays are here again! It seems like just yesterday we finished the last of the Thanksgiving leftovers with one final turkey sandwich topped with a dollop of cranberry sauce. Yet, here we are again, two days away from an American holiday based entirely around eating. How very American, indeed! In all seriousness, though, Thanksgiving is one of my most favorite holidays for that very reason. Unlike Christmas, Hannukah, Valentine’s Day, or even birthdays, there is no pressure to find the perfect gift or plan something for someone to top the previous year. No, Thanksgiving sticks to the basics. Family, friends, and food. Being Middle Eastern, gathering over meals is a large part of our culture. In fact, my entire family even gets together each Sunday at my grandparents’ home to have dinner. We’ve been doing this for over 30 years (though hard to imagine, they actually had a life even before I was born) and it is something we look forward to each week. Thanksgiving provides us with yet another day to break bread together and count our blessings, this time with members of our extended family.

Because Thanksgiving is a holiday so based around gatherings with family and friends, you can imagine that travel is at an all time high. In fact, according to the Bureau of Transportation, the average Thanksgiving long-distance trip length is 214 miles. This is still less than the average of 261 miles for other trips throughout the year, while Christmas/New Year’s takes the cake with an average of 275 miles. With the influx of travelers, be sure to allow extra time at the airport to make sure you don’t spend Thanksgiving in the food court. Doesn’t quite compare to grandma’s homemade stuffing, huh?

The average age of the Thanksgiving traveler is just under 34 years old, and 99% of these people are traveling within the United States. This seems obvious, considering it is an American holiday, but I am all about starting new traditions. Thanksgiving in Turkey (it’s fitting, right?) for 2012! Who’s with me!?

One of the best parts about Thanksgiving is tradition, both remembering old ones and creating new ones. Some of my friends from my program when I studied in France told me about their American Thanksgiving they tried to recreate with a hot plate and not much else in an attempt to satiate their craving for mashed potatoes and gravy. And this year, rather than the traditional turkey, my family will be switching things up with a pig roast. Should be interesting.. I will report back next week. Just goes to show, no matter where in the world we are or how we choose to celebrate, the sentiment of togetherness stays the same! Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, and don’t be afraid to go for that second (or third, or fourth) piece of pumpkin pie.

Have you ever celebrated Thanksgiving somewhere other than the US? Do you have any unique traditions?

You’re never too old.

The  Mango marketing team was recently in Dallas where we met Lewisville Public Library patron Raleigh who told us his Dad’s story using Mango:

“I want to tell you about my Father. He is 88 years old and he decided he wanted to learn Spanish. We went to the Lewisville Public Library and registered him. He had to learn the Internet but once he did, he completed the Mango Basic course as well as the Mango Complete course. Each course was very understandable, great layout, great way to learn a foreign language. It’s all thumbs up for Mango from us!”

We love hearing stories about the young, old and everyone in between learning with Mango! Do you have any stories about learning a language very early or very late in life?

Feature Friday: Meet New Mango, Andrea Ehlert

We are so excited to welcome Andrea Ehlert to the Mango family. She started working at the Mango Grove in October to help out our Language Learning Specialist Team. She will be supporting our Mango customers in Oregon, Indiana, Washington, DC, Michigan, Wisconsin, Florida, Kansas, Ohio, New York, Wyoming, and Montana. She will be available to train library staff, help with the Mango Administration System support, and she is happy to answer any questions you may have about your subscription.

Andrea has a fascinating and very diverse background. She was born in Quito, Ecuador, and moved to Tanzania, Africa, when she was seven years old and lived there for two years. Her father managed a shrimp farm there. When she said this, I got visions of the movie “Forest Gump” and all the different shrimp dishes she must have enjoyed. In 1998, her family visited some relatives in Michigan and loved it. They decided to stay and became official U.S. Citizens in 2008. A true immigrant story!

When Andrea came to the U.S as a nine-year old, she didn’t know any English as she was fluent in speaking Spanish. However, today she doesn’t even have an accent. She loves languages and heard about Mango through some college connections she had. Once she visited the Mango website…she fell in love. She is a very persistent lady as she stalked us until we hired her. We love her passion and drive!

We are so glad she stalked us and she is an awesome contribution to the sales and marketing team. Please help us welcome Andrea!