Mango Languages

10 Tips for Traveling in Germany

So if you’ve been reading our blog this past month, you may have seen the last two posts I wrote in which I shared a few of the red-faced, cultural faux-pas moments I have experienced over the years.  In case you missed it, you can check out them out here and here.

To wrap up the series, I’m going to divert from the topic just a bit to share a few cultural lessons that I wish I had learned before traveling to Germany.  Luckily, my ignorance on these topics never led to an overtly embarrassing moment – but knowing about them definitely would have made my life easier!  So for any of you planning a trip to Deutschland in the future, consider these tips my little gift (“mein kleines Geschenk”):

1)   This is how the number ‘seven’ is generally written in Germany:

And this is what the ‘one’ usually looks like:

Mix them up (like I did, on at least one occasion) and you’ll end up calling a very confused German.

2)   If you order “Wasser” (water) at a restaurant, you will more than likely be served a glass of sparkling water.  If you feel the same way I do about sparkling water, then this is an outcome you’d probably like to avoid.  Just remember to clarify when you’re ordering by saying “stilles Wasser” (still water) or “Wasser ohne Kohlensäure” (water without carbonation).

3)   I know I mentioned this is my last post, but I think it’s important, so I’m going to say it again.  Whatever you do, be sure to look the other person in the eye when making a toast.  You’ll find that most Germans are very serious about this – it’s a sign of bad luck to divert your eyes!

4)   Don’t expect to find stores open on Sunday.  Restaurants and gas stations are generally the only places with Sunday hours, so be sure to get all your shopping done on Saturday.  You don’t want to run out of something vital (read: toilet paper) and have nowhere to go.

5)   Despite what you may have heard, speed limits (Geschwindigkeitsbegrenzungen – there’s a fun word for you!) do exist in Germany.  It’s true that many stretches of the Autobahn (freeway) are limitless, but over 50% have a posted speed limit, particularly within populated areas.

6)   Jaywalking is never a good idea, but especially not in Germany.  You’ll find that most Germans are pretty respectful of pedestrian laws, so have patience and wait for the Ampelmann (“traffic light man”, as you’d see at most cross walks).

7)   When visiting a German household, don’t be surprised if you see your host switch from outdoor shoes to indoor shoes (commonly known as “Hausschuhe” or “house shoes”) the minute they walk through the door.  In fact, they may even offer you your own pair of shoes to wear while visiting their home!  Most German houses have tiled or wooded floors, so the shoes are used to provide comfort and warmth while walking around at home.

8)   Should you be seek the comforts of home and stop at a German McDonalds, be warned: the condiments will cost you!  Ketchup, mustard, and mayo are sold in packets, so you’ve got to decide how much you think you’ll need and pay accordingly.

9)   Relax and enjoy breakfast.  When I first visited my husband’s family in Germany in 2004, I was blown away by the production that was “Frühstück”.  Baskets of bread rolls and pretzels, endless platters of meat and cheese, bowls of fruit and yogurt, even a serving of cake.  To put it in a word, I was amazed.  Not just by the food, but also by the feeling of community and togetherness that these breakfasts create.  There was no rush, we’d sit for a couple hours chatting and enjoying each other’s company.  To be sure, this kind of thing isn’t a daily event for most Germans.  Usually these longer breakfasts are enjoyed on the weekends with friends and family – but I can tell you it’s a great thing to look forward to!

10)  This is mostly important in Bavaria, but still worth sharing: Weißwurst is boiled, never grilled.  And always eaten before noon.  My Bavarian-born husband still cringes every time he sees a Weißwurst thrown on a grill here in the States.

I hope you enjoyed my little insight into the German culture!  For those of you who are culture fans, be sure to check out one of my favorite aspects of the Mango program: the Culture Notes.  Popping up several times a chapter, they guide you like a friend, providing gentle nudges on what-to-do and what-not-to-do.  They also provide a great little “brain break” from all the language-learning you’re doing and keep you interested in the lesson!

What’s your favorite part about the Mango program?  Is there a particularly good cultural lesson that you learned?

Eat Your Way Around the World

As you learn a different language, it can also be a great time to learn about the cuisine of that language’s country or culture.

In the book, Hungry Planet, Photographer Peter Menzel profiles 30 familes around the world and offers descriptions of that family’s weekly food purchases. It is a small, but very interesting,  insight into how and what families in different countries eat.

After looking through some of these pictures, it made me want to learn how to make some meals from around the world! Check out this food around the world website to get some ideas and learn a little more about different cuisines.

Here is a Turkish dish I tried on my own called, “Hünkar Beğendi” or as some like to refer to it, “Sultan’s Delight”.  There a couple of different stories as to why the name of “Sultan’s Delight” was given to the dish. Maybe you’ll have your own theory after you try it!

Do you have any favorite dishes that you’ve tried? Or what are some popular dishes in your native cuisine? Happy cooking, but most importantly, happy eating!

Congrats, Madison County Library.

Mango would like to wish hearty congratulations to Madison County Public Library in Kentucky for being selected as the library with the “Most Outstanding Usage” for the month of September.  The number of total user sessions at MCPL skyrocketed an awe-inspiring 347% between August and September.

Library Director, Ruthie Maslin, explained that they have worked hard to increase awareness of their digital resources by highlighting tie-ins with special collections and creating visual displays.  She said that Mango is also a great resource to promote at the Back-to-School Fair hosted by the library in the fall.

Congrats again, MCPL – and keep up the great work!

Mango Shows Love for Academic Clients

September is here, which means “back to school” season is in full swing.  We’re delighted to say more and more college and university libraries are using Mango – some to supplement a smaller language program, others to assist ESL or study abroad students, and many simply because Mango is a resource with broad appeal.  Mango benefits students, faculty, alumni, and campus organizations alike.  Check out the video below to learn more.

Ready to get your school started?  Click here to set up a free trial, sign up for an informational webinar, read case studies, and much more.

Inspiration: It’s What Keeps Me Going

At the gym the other day, between the monotonous stomping of my feet on the treadmill, I overheard a woman speaking in heavily-accented English.  She was asking her workout partner to show her how to correctly do a push-up.  I listened to her for a few minutes, as she struggled to find the words to describe what she wanted to say.  It made me reflect upon my own experiences as a study abroad student in Munich.  I remember how frustrating it would be to run into situations where I couldn’t accurately express myself.

On one particular occasion, my inability to remember the verb “to pay” meant that I couldn’t tell the waiter that I had already paid my bill.  I recall repeating over and over again: “ich habe schon…ich habe schon…” (“I already…”)  But the word escaped me.  I tried to motion a “paying” action with my hands, but it just confused the waiter even more.  Finally, I remembered the verb and was able to complete my sentence, satisfying the waiter and setting him on his way.

Running into situations such as these occurred on almost a daily basis when I first moved to Munich.  Things that should take moments to complete, often became stressful, drawn-out processes simply due to my inability to correctly express what I wanted to say.  As a grown adult, it was extremely frustrating to have my vocabulary set back to the level of a child, particularly when I still needed to do “grown-up things” (like set up a cell phone or register with the city).

So suffice to say, I completely sympathized with the woman at my gym when I heard her struggling in broken English.  But when I turned around and saw who she had been speaking to all along, I felt an even higher level of respect.  The woman had been speaking with her husband.  It was obvious that they shared the same mother tongue, so it would have been much easier for her to carry on in their native language.  But the fact that she chose to instead practice her speaking skills and converse with him in English, made me beam with admiration.

I’m now married to German-American man, but I have to admit that our daily conversations in German are usually limited to short words and phrases.  Rarely do we commit to conversing fully in German, simply because English is the more natural medium for both of us.  My husband moved to the US when he was 10, so he speaks English as if it were his native tongue.  Plus, we met before I even started studying German, so it’s become what we’re used to.

But I have to admit that seeing this courageous couple made me realize that there’s no excuse not to try.  It also made me think of all the people living in the U.S. who struggle to learn English because they want to create a better life for themselves.  I’m lucky that learning a foreign language has never been imperative for me – it’s always been a choice.  A choice that nonetheless opens the door to many opportunities and experiences.  So what excuse do I have not to practice more often?  Better yet: why would I not want to?

What motivates you to study a foreign language?  When things get tough, what “keeps you going?”

To join Mango Languages’ Language Resolution campaign, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook or use the hashtag #LanguageResolution to join the conversation.  Our goal is to make this the year that you commit to learning a foreign language by providing daily challenges, tips, and motivation.  Together, we can do this.

Mango Language Resolution – Weekly Recap 1

We started our Language Resolution campaign with one goal in mind: to help you learn a language by 2013.  We hear excuses all too often: “I wanted to learn a language this year, but couldn’t find the time to practice” or “I ran out of steam and lacked motivation.”  This year, we’re not going to let that happen.  Mango’s got your back – not to mention daily tips, challenges, and motivation to keep you on track.  All you have to do is stay tuned to our pages on Facebook and Twitter.

Last week things got off to a strong start on Monday when we challenged our followers to write their grocery or shopping list in the language they were studying.  On Tuesday, we followed this up with a vocab challenge focused on greetings and terms of gratitude.  Translations of “thank you” and “goodbye” were shared in a handful of languages, including French, Arabic, Japanese and German.  Plus, Philip E. shared his personal translation of those phrases into “Southern U.S. English,” as ‘obliged’ and ‘later’.  Thanks for giving a mini-lesson to our Detroiter Mango crew, Philip!

Wednesday is all about motivation, so we shared a touching story from one of our patrons based at the Kent District Library in Michigan.  Having been in a long-distance relationship for 6 years, she tried everything to learn Swedish without success – including Rosetta Stone.  But after starting Mango, she experienced more improvement in a few days than she had done in years!  Read her full story here.

We dedicate Thursday to a roundtable discussion of issues and challenges faced when learning a foreign language.  Last week we focused on how to successfully learn vocabulary.  Our followers had fantastic tips for tackling this challenge, including: using flashcards, playing video games, reading foreign signs or packaging, and creating associations with English words that have a similar sound.  The one thing that everyone seemed to agree on is that repetition is key, no matter what method you use.  We also agree with this point – which is why repetition of phrases and vocabulary is an important theme in Mango’s courses.

On Friday, we closed out the week with one final challenge for our followers: to “like” or “follow” a foreign company’s page on Facebook or Twitter.  This is a great way to infuse foreign content into your feed!  Haven’t had a chance to complete the challenge yet?  Commit to doing it today!  It only takes 5 minutes.

Ready to get things geared up again this week?  We’ve got a week chock-full of fun challenges, motivating inspiration, and helpful tips/tricks ahead!  Check out our Facebook and Twitter pages daily to keep updated.  Remember, 2012 is the year.  #LanguageResolution.  Let’s do this together.

Language Brings Long Distance Relationship Closer

This story comes to us from a library patron of the Kent District Library in Michigan.  How has language brought you closer to the people in your life?

“My fiancé and I (marrying on December 8th of this year) have been in a long-distance relationship for the last six years. I am American and he is Swedish, and while we have a wonderful relationship, occasionally things would inevitably get lost in translation.

I’ve tried everything to learn Swedish, and for some reason, it just wouldn’t stick. I have bought just about every book and CD on the subject, including the extremely expensive Rosetta Stone, and though I picked up some vocabulary, I could barely string together a coherent sentence.

I first started using Mango because I wanted to learn German. Within days, I already knew more German than Swedish, and I’d been trying unsuccessfully for years! When Mango released Swedish, only weeks ago, I started using it immediately and my Swedish has improved exponentially in only days!

Mango has changed my relationship and my life for the better! For FREE, through the library, I’ve finally found a language program that works!”

Want to see if you can learn for free through your library? Head over to findmango.com and type in your zip code to find out.

No Excuses: 20 Simple & Fun Ways to Practice a Foreign Language

“I can’t afford to buy study materials”

“Between work and responsibilities at home, I just don’t have the time to study.”

“I can’t find a partner for speaking practice.”

Excuses.  Trust us, we’ve heard them all.  And they just don’t work with us.  The truth is, if you really want to learn a language, you’ll find a way to do it.  There’s actually many easy, simple and fun ways to infuse language-learning into your everyday routine – most of which cost little or nothing at all.  To prove it, we put together a list of 20 suggestions to get you started.

1.  Read a news article in a foreign language.

2.  Write a status update or tweet in a foreign language.

3.  Listen to the live feed of an international radio station online.

4.  Sign up for an international pen pal and exchange emails on a regular basis.

5.  Cook from a recipe that is written entirely in a foreign language.

6.  Rent a foreign movie and watch it without the subtitles.  If that’s too difficult, try turning on the closed captions so that you can see the lines written in the original language, rather than the translated version.

7.  Download a trivia app for your smartphone that’s in the language you’d like to learn.  Still a beginner?  Try looking for a children’s version for simpler phrasing.

8.  Next time you go to the store, practice writing your shopping list entirely in the language you are studying.

9.  Visit a foreign restaurant and try ordering in the language.

10.  Have a partner to study with?  Try playing “I Spy,” “20 Questions,” or Scrabble in the language you’re studying.

11.  In a relationship?  Come up with some fun pet names for your significant other that are in a foreign language (like “Schatz” in German or “Chéri” in French).  Up for a challenge?  Practice writing an entire love letter.

12.  Check out the foreign music charts, pick a couple songs, and see if you can understand the lyrics.  Too difficult?  Look up the lyrics online and you’ve got a great translation challenge!

13.  Next time you need directions, look them up in a foreign language by going to an international version of the Google Maps site (for example: the German, French, or Spanish site).  It’s a great way to learn vocabulary!

14.  Join a foreign language Meetup in your area.

15.  Finding foreign or international clubs or associations in your area is probably easier than you think.  Think outside the box when you’re searching: schools, college campuses, and even churches or other religious organizations can be a great place to look for clubs.

16.  What’s your favorite TV show?  Chances are it either has a counterpart (like American Idol or Survivor) or a dubbed version in a foreign language.  Try downloading episodes or look for clips online to watch.  Alternatively, you could purchase a DVD set online – just be aware that you may need an international DVD player in order to watch it.

17.  “Like” or “follow” a foreign company on Facebook or Twitter.  This will infuse your newsfeed with foreign language content.

18.  Looking for a fun way to practice vocabulary?  Each day, pick a different topic to focus on (e.g. animals, food & drink, or family members) and see how many words you can list for that topic.  Each time you make a list, try to list more words than the day before.  If you want to take this challenge to the next level, see if you can come up with a word beginning with each letter of the alphabet.

19.  Did you know that official Wikipedias have been created in 285 languages?  So if you’re looking for seemingly endless content and articles to browse (on almost any topic), then look no further.

20.  Turn your down-time into language-learning time.  Practice vocab while getting ready in the morning, have a conversation with yourself in the shower (nobody will know – we promise!), or doodle conjugation charts on your lunch break.  Sitting in traffic?  Listen to foreign music and practice singing along.  See?  Almost any situation can be turned into a language-learning opportunity.  There’s simply no excuse not to try.

Remember everyone – let’s make this the year that you commit to learning a foreign language!  Join us on Facebook and Twitter.  #LanguageResolution.  Together, we can do it.

Language Learning Motivation: Love.

Meet Mango user Jason. Here was his motivation to learn a new language:

“I met and am engaged to a Brazilian who was already living in the US.  I’m doing everything I can to learn the language because our wedding is next year in Brazil and I want to be able to do my vows in both English and Portuguese.”

We heard Jason’s story and wanted to help. We had Josiane, a Mango from Brazil, help us translate Jason’s vows and record herself saying them so he could practice the pronunciation.

Last month, during their wedding ceremony in the states, Jason delivered his vows in his now wife’s native language, Brazilian Portuguese.

Thank you for sharing your story with us, Jason. And for letting us be a part of your journey. We have goosebumps.

What motivates you? Have you completed a Mango lesson 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?