Mango Languages

The Gift of Giving

We, here at Mango Languages, have six key core values that we live by: integrity, entrepreneurial spirit, positive attitude, fundipline, innovation and quality. Our Marketing Communications Director and Co-Founder, Mike Teshuba, has added another one to the list, giving back.

Funof is an organization in Cali, Colombia, that is dedicated to getting working children off the street and back into school so that they can study and enjoy being kids.  These children, ranging in age from 7-15 years old, oftentimes work selling gum or fruit, washing windshield and peddling other various products and services on the streets.  They feel the need to work on the streets because either their families don’t have enough money to buy food and other basic necessities, or they don’t even have families to take care of them in the first place.  These children face many dangers on a daily basis, such as rape, getting hit in traffic, being exploited by drug dealers, child trafficking, etc.  If these children don’t get an education then they are highly likely to become the parents of children that will continue this vicious cycle.  This foundation has several centers in low income neighborhoods in Cali Colombia helping around 2,300 working children.

This holiday season, with the donation from Mango Languages, Mike, his family, and some awesome Mango fans were able to buy gifts for over 200 of these children. They were able to personally visit one of the centers to hand out gifts and food to about 150 of the kids.  The event went really well and the children were very appreciative of being able to have a gift for the holidays.

Check out this awesome video where Mike Teshuba describes what Funof is all about and see how Mango spread some holiday cheer to kids in Cali, Colombia.

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?

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!

Travel Tuesday: No Speak Americano

Obviously, as the crazed Mango fans that you all are, one of the most exciting parts of traveling to far off lands is the opportunity to utilize all that you have learned and practiced (from the comfort of your own home, using your MP3 player, or even on your iPhone). As someone who has lived abroad, the prospect of conversing with native speakers is just as terrifying as it is exhilarating. What if my accent is horrible? Do I use the formal or informal? Which verb tense do I use? These fears can prevent us from making the most of our travels and speaking the language of the land. It seems so easy to slip back into our English comfort zone. If there is one piece of advice I can give you, it’s DON’T DO IT!!! Some of my best travel experiences have occurred in countries where I only knew a few words (hello, thank you, goodbye, etc.). You don’t have to speak a language fluently to earn the respect of the locals. Merely making an effort with these simple greetings and gratitudes (no matter how horrible the accent) is enough to create a connection with someone.

Take it from Benny Lewis, a world traveler originally from Ireland who has a self-proclaimed “love affair with other countries and speaking foreign languages.” At the age of 21, Benny only spoke English. A mere 8 years later, he speaks English, French, Italian, Esperanto, Irish, Spanish, Portuguese and German fluently, and his newest venture is American Sign Language. His website chronicles his language learning and his travels, and he even has an awesome video where he uses all of the languages he speaks to give a tour of his apartment in Berlin. Impressionant, non?!

I actually discovered Benny’s site through a co-worker who thought it would be of interest to me, and she was right! One blog post I found particularly relevant is entitled “What will I talk about when my language level is so basic?” He brings up an awesome point that really makes you think about trying to use that foreign language you studied way back in high school: To be interesting, you have to be interested.

So what does this mean exactly? It means that to have a great conversation with someone, you don’t have to do all the talking. Crazy concept for us Americans, eh? Being able to ask questions and let someone else do the talking benefits you in two ways. Firstly, you really get to know the other person and discover the ways in which we, as humans, are all alike, despite our areas of origin. Also, it allows you to sit back and listen if you are not as comfortable with your speaking skills! He also addresses the common fear that locals will be upset if you speak the language incorrectly. While I can’t say this is 100% untrue, I can say that in my experience, it is almost NEVER the case. Definitely the exception and not the rule. Usually, they are thrilled that you are making an effort to preserve their language and culture.

I highly suggest checking out Benny’s site and taking a look around. He encompasses all that is Mango Languages and definitely lives out our core values. And next time you travel, I encourage you to use your language skills in any capacity that you can. I promise you will not be disappointed. If nothing else, at least be a little more understanding the next time someone from another country speaks to you in broken English. Pay it forward for the next time you are abroad and struggling while asking how to find the restroom.

Have you ever visited a country where you did not speak a word of the native language? How were you able to get around? Did you learn anything by the time you left?

Travel Tuesday: Bienvenidos a Little Village

This past weekend I had the pleasure of visiting one of my very best friends Betsy in Chicago, where she recently moved for grad school. Of course it’s always great to visit friends, but discovering the sights and sounds of an unfamiliar place is always my favorite part of travel. And discover we did.

Betsy works with a non-profit organization called Enlace Chicago, which works to improve the quality of life for inhabitants of Little Village, a vibrant Mexican-American neighborhood on the city’s west side. Rich with language and culture (right up my alley, non?), Enlace strives to preserve the tight knit community and eradicate the neighborhood’s pain points through education, violence prevention, cultural enrichment, and economic development. I was lucky enough to be in town for a peace summit this weekend held in conjunction with another organization Ceasefire entitled “What’s Good in the Hood?” It was so awesome to see kids of all ages coming together for a common goal: peace. In addition to ending the violence, the summit also celebrated their Mexican roots. Through music, performances, and (my favorite) food, attendees were able to focus on the positive aspects of Little Village rather than solely on the negative. Because my life revolves around food, I have to mention the amazing homemade spread that greeted us. Authentic Mexican soup called pozole, tamales (red and green), salsa verde, and even a sweet cinnamon rice milk called horchata allowed people to sit down together, eat, and enjoy the atmosphere. No Taco Bell here, folks.

Just walking through the area on the way to the event, it is clear that the neighborhood is something special. From the Mexican markets to the taquerias to simply hearing Spanish spoken everywhere, you almost feel like you are in a village in Mexico. Though it is just a short subway ride away from the heart of Chicago, you are seemingly thousands of miles away. It really was inspiring to see an ethnic community working together to preserve their strong cultural roots in a positive way.

Who says you have to travel far away to indulge in a true cultural experience? Most of us have neighborhoods like Little Village within close proximity to our own homes. Here in Detroit we have Mexican Town, I have visited China Town in Washington, D.C., and Little Italy in New York City is just one of several cultural hubs in the booming metropolis. Don’t have the time or money to take a trip to Mexico? Hop on the subway or jump in your car and escape “America” for a few hours. You won’t be disappointed. And be sure to grab some Mexican candy before you head out! You can thank me later.

Do you have an area like Little Village near you? Tell us about an authentic cultural experience you have had there!

Theory Thursday: Mental Dictionaries

I’d like to share a couple funny and cute linguistics stories in this blog. I will be talking about how bilinguals recognize and speak words in each of their languages.  What? That doesn’t sound cute? Just hang in there.  I promise that this will be a cute but informative linguistic blog.

I am the mother of four children who are all bilingual in English and Spanish.  Some time ago I was sitting with my now nine-year old son (I think he was 7 or maybe 8 at the time) as he read to me “The Digging-est Dog” by Al Perkins.  He was doing an excellent job, but when he got to the page that reads, “I dug up fences, I dug up gates” without realizing his mistake he very confidently read, “I dug up fences, I dug up cats.”

So why would my son read “cats” instead of “gates”?   Obviously “cats” and “gates” don’t rhyme or even really look similar, at least not in English.  However, as I mentioned at the beginning of this blog, my children are bilingual in English and Spanish.  Well, the Spanish word for “cats” is “gatos.”  Ahhh, you say! “Gatos” and “gates” look very much alike!  It is easy to see how he could mistake “gates” for this other word “gatos.”  What makes this case even more interesting is that while his brain apparently recognized the Spanish word “gatos” he produced the English translation for this word: “cats.”  Although my son was reading in English and produced an English word, “cats,” it is evident that his Spanish lexicon (or mental dictionary or vocabulary list) was still very much active.

On another occasion, my older son asked me if he could fill and use a salt shaker I had brought back from Cuernavaca, Mexico.  To which I replied, “No! You can’t use that! It’s a memory!”  Does it seem strange that I referred to a salt shaker as a “memory”?  Well, it may help to know that the word for souvenir in Spanish is “recuerdo” which literally translates to…you got it…“memory.”

Yet another time, I recall shopping for a digital video camera with my husband.  We had picked out the camera, a bunch of editing software and additional accessories.  My husband approached the salesman who was assisting us and asked, “So, how much for todo?”  The salesman just smiled and continued to talk about the different features of the products we had chosen.  My husband asked again, “How much for todo?” I was standing right beside my husband and could not figure out why the salesman was not answering him.  Until of course it dawned on me that while I understood my husband’s question, the salesman who obviously did not speak Spanish, did not, because my husband was mixing the two languages: English and Spanish.

The focus of research in bilingualism for a long time was whether or not bilinguals have a single lexicon (mental dictionary) that comprises all of the words they know in both of their languages, or separate lexicons.  And additionally, whether access to these is selective or not.  Multiple theories to address these questions have been proposed.

One of these, the hierarchical model, proposes that the lexicons are combined at the conceptual level but separate at the word representational level.  Basically bilinguals have separate “dictionaries” but that the entry for a particular word in each language links back to the same “meaning” or “concept.”

Another theory is the Bilingual Interactive Activation Model (BIA). This theory argues that letter strands activate possible lexical candidates (words) in both languages, which then compete for activation.

As with many questions in the field of Linguistics and specifically bilingualism, whether bilinguals have one or two “mental dictionaries” and how they access these is still not fully understood.  However, for me as a Linguist it is exciting to be able to point to and analyze these everyday aspects of real life and apply it to my passion for languages.

Have you experienced a situation where you interchanged your “mental dictionaries”?

Travel Tuesday: Lost in Translation

Today’s post comes from an avid Mango user, Betsy Talbot. Betsy and her husband Warren quit their jobs and sold everything they owned to travel the world in 2010. Their new digital guide Dream Save Do: The Step-by-Step Blueprint for Amassing the Cash to Live Your Dream does just what it says. You can learn more about living the good life at their blog, Married with Luggage.

When we first started planning our round-the-world adventure three years ago, we knew the key to saving the money and actually taking off was to act on our plan right away, even though we didn’t have all the answers. We made mistakes, but mostly we learned and moved closer to our goal, reaching it faster than we imagined possible.

We’ve now been traveling for one year, and we’ve discovered that learning a new language requires the same level of action and fearlessness about making mistakes.

Traveling can expand your knowledge, give you a different perspective, and allow you to appreciate the beauty and diversity in the world around you. It can make you feel really smart when you figure something out, engage with people very different from you, or test yourself in ways you never could back home.

Traveling can also make you feel like an idiot, cobbling together sentences like a toddler, and using your hands and facial expressions to get your meaning across. Worse yet, using the wrong word, or the wrong tone with the word, can change the meaning entirely, possibly insulting your new friend or making him laugh hysterically.

• You wanted an egg for breakfast, but you asked for a whole chicken (Thai).

• Instead of telling your new friend you are married, you instead say you are tired (Spanish).

• Not understanding measurements or numbers in the language might get you a full bottle of wine instead of the small carafe – and the bill that goes along with it (French).

Many people hesitate when trying out their new language skills on a trip, fearing they will make a mistake. We have made these and many more, and what we’ve found is that people are generally delighted when you try to speak their language, even if you do it poorly.

As we immerse ourselves in a new culture, we stumble along like 2-year-olds, receiving correction from the locals and repeating the words back to them until we get it right. It is embarrassing at first, but it often turns into a way to better know the people and customs of an area.

We use Mango Languages to help us prepare for arriving in a new country. We can’t always learn the language, but we can always learn the basic words to get by – please, thank you, may I have, where is, excuse me, hello, goodbye. If you make an effort to be part of the local culture, the local people will be much more inclined to interact with you, even if they speak English.

So don’t wait. Take your language lessons before you go, and then dive right in when you get there. Sure, you’ll mess up, but you’ll also learn a lot and possibly even make a new friend.

And don’t forget to learn to say “I’m sorry” in the local language, just in case you accidentally tell someone you are going to kill him. (Spanish)

Have you ever had an experience where something you or someone else said was completely lost in translation? Tell us about it!

Spanglish: English Words With a Spanish Twist

I recently took a trip to the beautiful city of Austin, Texas. Besides the record-breaking heat, the amazing night life, and the delicious and diverse food, one of the things that I noticed is the use of Spanglish.

As a passionate student of the Spanish language I was fascinated with the popularity of this dialect, one that combines Spanish and English and that has become socially accepted and encouraged.

Ilan Stavans, professor of Latin American and Latino Culture at Amherst College and author of,  Spanglish: The Making of a New American Language, says Spanglish changes so fast it’s hard to pin down. His book includes a Spanglish dictionary. Some examples: “Backupear” is to back up a car, “yarda” is yard, “pregneada” is pregnant.

Here are some definitions from his book:

carpeta (kar-PE-tah) — carpet.
chopin (TCHO-peen) — 1.Shopping center mall. 2. n., going shopping.
deiof (dey-OF) — day off.
frizer (FREE-zer) — refrigerator.
grocear (gro-SEAR) — to acquire groceries.
jonrón (khon-RON) — home run.

There has been an ongoing debate among academics and politicians about taking Spanglish more seriously and recognizing it as an official dialect. Many feel like using Spanglish takes away from fully learning and appreciating either the English language or Spanish, while others believe that it is a way of self-expression and serves as a representation of a new culture, one that incorporates both Spanish and English.

Stavans goes on to say that “poets, novelists and essayists have realized that it [Spanglish] is the key to the soul of a large portion of the population. Spanglish is a creative way also of saying, ‘I am an American and I have my own style, my own taste, my own tongue.’”

In Spanglish, one would say “parquear” which means “to park.” Using the initial letters and sounds of the English word with the correct er/ar ending to represent the Spanish verbs, Spanglish words and phrases are created.

The use of Spanglish has been produced by close border contact with large bilingual communities on the northern side along the United States-Mexico border and many US states such as California, Oregon, Washington, New Mexico, and Florida.

Personally I think it’s awesome to combine two languages to create a new way of expression and communication that represents both cultures and traditions.

What do you think about Spanglish?

Travel Tuesday: Combining Business and Pleasure

Working in events, I am lucky enough to have the opportunity to travel from time to time for work. Unfortunately, this was not the case for a recent trip to Puerto Rico taken by Jason Teshuba and Ryan Colpaert, our CEO and Director of Sales and Marketing, respectively. The rest of us Mangoes spent the week slaving away at the office while Jason and Ryan spent a week relaxing on the beach in sunny San Juan. Ok fiiiine, I will admit that their trip was not without purpose (and I promise I’m not still bitter). Our two jetsetters made their way to Puerto Rico to attend the 77th Annual World Library and Information Congress Conference and Assembly! The conference took place from August 13-18 and, according to the website, it brings together over 3,500 participants from more than 120 countries. The exhibition portion of the conference boasts over 80 exhibitors with a combined buying power of all delegates estimated at more than 1.2 billion dollars! Needless to say, it was an exciting opportunity for Mango Languages to attend the show for the first time, especially given this year’s exotic location.

Because most of our Mangoes are curious travelers and always seeking out cultural experiences, Ryan and Jason decided to extend their trip and get a little taste of what San Juan has to offer. And being a self-proclaimed foodie, I was most interested in what they actually DID taste. Jason came back raving about his new favorite food, mofongo. A specialty of Puerto Rico, the dish combines mashed plantains with any combination of meat, seafood, and vegetables. Traditionally, the dish is prepared in a mortar and pestle, but can also be made in a food processor, depending on how authentic you want your experience to be. Either way, I will selflessly offer to taste any mofongo you decide to prepare. I’ll bring the Puerto Rican rum.

Aside from food and drink, Jason and Ryan also took advantage of Puerto Rico’s famous rain forests. While in San Juan, they had the opportunity to take a tour of El Yunque, pictured above. Additionally, the guys caught an awesome cultural performance of native dances at the conference, shown in the video below. I’m thinking we should try this out in the office. Nothing like a little choreography to break up the work day!

That, coupled with lounging in the sun, does not sound like too stressful of a work trip, no? That, my friends, is what we call “fundipline.” A combination of “fun” and “discipline,” it is one of our core values we are always striving to emphasize over at the Mango office (and the creation of a new word exemplifies “innovation,” another one of Mango’s core values.. TANGENT ALERT). Work hard, play hard is what we are all about. Rather than fly in and out solely for the show, our Mangoes decided to take advantage of their time in a new and exciting place. I think it goes without saying that I will be joining the guys for the 2012 conference in Helsinki (where we will hopefully indulge in some Finnish sweet bread, called pulla). Until then, adios and hei-hei!

Can you recall a time where you have been able to combine business and pleasure to gain a cultural experience?