Mango Languages

Learn a language with more Mango Passport content

More Mango Languages content = more adventure.

We are excited to announce the addition of Mango Passport Journeys Two and Three to our online language learning course offerings.

With triple the content for eight of the world’s most popular languages, Mango Passport now takes you even further.

Your Journeys await. Start learning today.

Formerly the original Mango Passport, Journey One features the basic tools you’ll need to get the most out of your trip, such as greetings, getting around and ordering food:

Journey Two goes beyond the travel-focused content learned in Journey One. In no time at all, you’ll learn how to describe surroundings, make small talk, plan leisure activities and more:

In Journey Three, build upon the knowledge gained in Journeys One and Two. Topics covered include discussing culture, addressing medical conditions, expressing thoughts and feelings and making plans:

Check out our blog posts all this week to hear about the journeys of users just like you and for the chance to win a free bundle of Mango Passport Journeys One, Two and Three in one of eight available languages!

Your Journeys await. Start learning today.

Mango Monday: Do you speak Texan?

Do you speak Texan?
Mangoes traded the snowy Michigan weather for some southern hospitality (and sunshine) while attending ALA Midwinter 2012 in Dallas, Texas!

While we got a little taste of the south, we gave a taste of mango smoothies to stoppers-by at the Mango booth. Attendees could also check out demonstrations of the Mango iPhone app, Little Pim and learn some Hindi!

While we were sporting tie-dye and mango smoothie sugar-buzzes, we saw many wonderful familiar faces, made great new friends and heard inspiring language learning success stories.

We even got a short lesson in “Southern English” from a few true Texans, y’all!

Check out some pictures from our adventure and let us know: did you drop by the Mango Languages booth at ALA Midwinter in Dallas this year? Do you still remember how to say, “where is the bus station” in Hindi?

Travel Tuesday: Mango Goes Big, Y’all!

Though us Michiganders cannot complain about the winter this year (it has been the mildest winter that I can ever remember), the prospect of escaping the snow and heading towards the sun is enough to get us packing… quickly. Needless to say, we are quite looking forward to getting to Dallas, Texas this week for the American Library Association 2012 Midwinter Conference!

The office is going to seem pretty empty, as 14 Mangoes will be heading southwest to participate in the bi-annual conference. From Mango smoothies to giveaways to demonstrations to typical Mango insanity, our booth will be bustling. Be sure to stop by Booth #2253 and say “howdy” to our staff! We are looking forward to another exciting show.

Is anyone attending the show? Is this your first time at ALA Midwinter? What conferences/exhibitors are you most looking forward to seeing?

Travel Tuesday: Ringing In The New Year Right

Sawat dee pee mai! For those of you who don’t speak Thai (myself included), Happy New Year! I hope you all had a safe and joyful celebration, full of good people, good times, and good food (and drink)! I write to you from 32,000 feet in the air, a mere 2 hours into my 12 hour flight from Bangkok to Paris, where I will have an 8 hour layover, followed by another 7 hour flight back to Detroit. A small price to pay for the absolute trip of a lifetime I just experienced during my two weeks in Thailand. My cousins and I traveled to Bangkok, Petchaburi, Chiang Mai, and Mae Hong Son, doing virtually everything from riding elephants, to kayaking, to shopping, to visiting temples, to playing with tigers, to shopping, to eating amazing food, to shopping again. Needless to say, we had our fair share of awe-inspiring activities to keep us occupied.

It was a little weird to be away for the holidays. I must admit, hanging out in 90 degree weather on Christmas day is not something I am accustomed to (but something I could definitely deal with). Additionally, on New Year’s Eve, rather than the usual gathering of friends and family with fancy clothes and classy drinks, my cousins and I experienced something quite different in Chiang Mai. I had seen pictures of the lighting of the lanterns, but thought I had missed my chance to see it in person, seeing as Yi Peng (Floating Lantern Festival) occurs in November. I was thrilled to see lanterns being sold on nearly every street corner as we made our way to dinner. We learned that these lanterns are also a New Year’s Eve tradition. Each person that sends a lantern off into the sky is supposed to make a wish for the year to come. My cousins and I all took turns lighting our lanterns and sending them on their way, watching as they joined thousands of other glowing masses carrying the wishes of everyone on the ground below. It truly was a sight to be seen, and nothing I could capture with my personal camera. Though these professionals seemed to do a pretty good job.

Rather than listening to everyone’s New Year’s resolutions revolving around hitting the gym more, spending more time with friends, or learning a foreign language (a resolution I fully support, by the way), the Thai people are much more reserved, silently sending off their wishes for the new year into the sky.

At midnight, the lanterns were joined by a seemingly constant stream of fireworks ringing in the new year. Unfortunately, some of these lanterns quickly became casualties and fell into the river below (that can’t bode well for those New Year’s wishes, could it?), but for the most part, they floated out of harm’s way into that black abyss. We didn’t stick around Chiang Mai long enough to catch the after math of the lanterns making their way back to Thailand (as Sir Isaac Newtown said, what goes up must come down), but I have heard that it is a sight to see, as well.

I know that lighting the lanterns was a really special moment on the trip for my cousins and I, and I am so happy that we were able to be a part of something so different than from we were used to, especially because the tradition is laden with cultural relevance. It is something truly unique to have experienced and something I will never forget!

What is the most interesting New Year’s Eve tradition you have heard of around the world? Have you ever been able to participate?

Travel Tuesday: Traditions, Old & New

Another year has passed and the holidays are upon us yet again. Decorations, family, and food (lots and lots and lots of food) abound. It feels like we were just here, doesn’t it? It’s time for gatherings and reflecting on the past year. Despite our country of origin (or language we speak), one thing about the holidays remains the same: TRADITION (I think they say it better than I ever could). Whether you celebrate by going to a parade, watching “Elf”, or traveling to see family, it’s these traditions that we look forward to every year around this time. Coming from a large family, we always spend Christmas Eve with my dad’s family and Christmas day house hopping to visit all of my mom’s sisters and their families. Each Christmas night ends at our close family friends’ home, which is opened to everyone (literally everyone) looking to celebrate the holiday.  Besides my near comatose state after being force fed at six houses each Christmas (no complaining here, trust me. Nothing beats homemade Chaldean food), the feeling I remember most is looking forward to the traditions within the tradition. For instance, the day always begins with Auntie Samira’s pacha (a Chaldean dish made of tripe… breakfast of champions! Check out one of my favorite Facebook groups to learn more). As the day progresses, we always eat dessert at Auntie Ferial’s (cousin Jeanie’s famous sugar cookies) and see friends we probably haven’t seen since last Christmas at the end of the night at Auntie Lamia’s house. That night we head home, full, tired, and happy, thinking how far away next Christmas seems.

This year, however, things are going to be a little different. When my cousin Anthony’s job was transferred from Houston, Texas to Bangkok, Thailand for the year, my cousins and I knew this was an opportunity for the ultimate vacation. Figuring we would have the most time off around the holidays, we decided around May that we would be spending Christmas in Thailand, no matter what. Now mere days away from our trip, I’ve only just begun to think about how different the holidays are going to be this year. No Christmas mass (shh..don’t tell my mom!), no opening presents by the tree on Christmas morning, and no family visiting on Christmas Day. However, because of the traditions that have been instilled in us throughout the years, we are going to create our own makeshift Christmas. I made sure to get some small gifts for my cousins so we will still have presents to open and my cousin Jeff is even braving making a pot of harissa. This classic Chaldean porridge is as close to comfort food as it gets and we eat it every Christmas Eve at grandma’s. Though this Christmas will be anything but ordinary (with 90 degree weather, a trip to Tiger Kingdom, and massages… rough life, I know), we will still have a little piece of home halfway around the world, due to the traditions instilled in us our entire lives.

Here’s to creating new traditions! Happy Holidays to you and yours!

What are some of your favorite holiday traditions? If you have ever been away during the holidays, were you able to hold on to them in some way?

Travel Tuesday: Riding the Information Wave

Military Librarians met a few weeks ago from December 4-9 for the 55th annual Military Libraries Workshop, and Mango Languages was there “Riding the Information Wave.”

With temperatures at 70 degrees with plenty of sunshine, Norfolk, Virginia served as a lovely backdrop for the over 150 MLW attendees, and 44 major library industry vendors at the annual event.  Everywhere you looked, the town was beautifully decorated for the holiday season, from sculptured mermaids adorned with bow-tied wreaths to the lights along the harbor of Norfolk.

The successful MLW event kicked off with some pre conference sessions, including service meetings for all Military branch personnel on December 4th. Pre-conference sessions started on Monday, 5th December. The traditional welcome and vendor appreciation reception was held on the evening of Monday, 5 December.  Most of my focused time was spent discussing new products, technologies and services targeted for the Military Library user base.  The winners of the 2 Mango Languages door prizes were Cindy Shipley: United States Marines Corps (Mango Passport Gift Card), and Trevor Riley: National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration.  This year’s events included: DTIC boot camp, Veterans History Project workshop and presentation, offsite at the MacArthur Museum and Archives; presentations on information overload, managing your library’s managers, analysis of intelligence, Coast Guard mission and information resources and for a little “after hours” fun, a pub crawl, a ghost walk, and much, much more. The highlight of the workshop was a banquet held aboard the Spirit of Norfolk on Wednesday, 7th of December, with a jazz theme.

Mango enjoyed being a sponsor of this year’s MLD (Military Library Division of SLA) Board Meeting, and especially enjoyed meeting clients, new prospects and vendor colleagues in Norfolk, the cultural heart of the Hampton Roads region. We were also excited to give out our brand new Mango camo bags!

MLW 2011 is a team effort with representation from all military services and other communities within the division.  This year’s MLW hosts were the National Defense University and Joint Forces Staff College, both valued customers of Mango Languages.  Mango Languages supports peace-keeping efforts of all branches of the Military and Government Agencies worldwide.  Mango had such a blast in Norfolk, and we are anticipating seeing you all at MLW 2012!

Can you guess how many Foreign Languages are used by active duty members of the U.S. Military?

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?

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?

Travel Tuesday: This is what life is all about

When I was 15 years old, I saw an article in the local newspaper about an exchange student program where families hosted teenagers from around the world in their homes for a school year. I thought this was an amazing idea and begged my parents to be a host. You see…I am an only child and had always wanted an older brother or sister! My parents thought about it and they decided to bring over a girl from Brazil named Nara. We picked her out from a catalog, which to this day we find really funny. She was 18 years old and we had a ton in common. We both played the flute, took ballet lessons, and loved to travel.

I had no idea how much this random article would change my life forever. She lived with us for one year. We went to school together, we lived together and we traveled to Niagra Falls and Disney World. Yes, we fought and yes we eventually became “sisters.” When she left, I was so sad but forever changed. My world had opened up in ways I never knew were possible. I learned some Portuguese, I learned about her culture and food. I learned that we are the same yet different in really cool ways.

When I was 18 years old, I was able to go to her home in the capital of Brazil, Brasilia. I lived with her and her family for about 4 months. This was an awesome opportunity and such an eye opening experience. As our roles were reversed, I was know the foreigner in a strange land. She has a much larger family so I gained sisters and brothers and another set of parents. She comes from a fairly wealthy family, so I even got to have maids. My mom was worried I would forget how to make my bed. I learned so much about Brazil, the world, and myself through this experience.

What I find more amazing is over the years we have stayed in touch. We even wrote real handwritten letters to each other before the internet, chat, and skyping were even possible. It has now been more than 20 years since we first met that summer day in 1990. We have traveled back and forth for special events and I even went to her wedding. Now she has two beautiful children and this past weekend, she brought her family to Disney World in Florida. I surprised my mom for her birthday with a trip down to Disney for the weekend to meet her granddaughters. Of course the most magical place on earth!

It was so amazing to see my Brazilian sister Nara, and meet her two daughters, my nieces, who are four and five years old. I truly fell in love with them. They are wonderful children who, despite a bit of a language barrier, wanted to hold my hand and play as if we have known each other their entire lives.

This weekend was one of those moments that makes you so thankful for the people who have come into your life and changed you forever. I am better for knowing Nara. She inspired me to love language and culture, and want to share my experiences with others. I am blessed and so grateful to have her as my sister.

Who has inspired you?