Mango Languages

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

St. Patricks Day is is quickly approaching  and Mango Languages has just what you need to speak a little Irish on St. Patricks Day. But first, check out some of these fun trivia facts about this green holiday:

• The very first St. Patrick’s Day parade was not in Ireland. It was in Boston in 1737.
• Green is associated with Saint Patrick’s Day because it is the color of spring, of Ireland, and of the shamrock.
• 19 Presidents of the United States proudly claim Irish heritage—including our first President, George Washington.
• There are four places in the United States named Shamrock (West Virginia, Texas, Indiana, Oklahoma) and nine Dublin’s (Dublin, California and Dublin, Ohio are most populous)

Using our Irish course, you won’t only learn how to converse in Irish, but you’ll also learn some insight into the Irish culture.

And if you’d like to ask someone if they would like something to drink…

Or if you find yourself on the receiving side of that question…

From everyone at Mango, we wish you a happy and safe St. Patrick’s Day!

Mango Monday: Happy Holidays!

Happy holidays from Mango Languages! We hope you and yours enjoy a wonderful holiday season and an even better new year!

What are you thankful for this year?

A few sales and marketing Mangoes wanted to show off their favorite holiday attire…

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?

It’s Fat Tuesday!

Happy Mardi Gras Everyone!

This Tuesday we celebrate Mardi Gras which is French for “Fat Tuesday.” This day is celebrated before Ash Wednesday,  also known as the last day before Lent in the Christian calendar. The name “Fat Tuesday” comes from the tradition of eating rich foods made with, butter, sugar and other fats and meats.  This cultural holiday includes popular traditions such as wearing masks and costumes,  dancing, sports competitions, parades, etc.

Mardi Gras is celebrated in many different ways all around the world, making it a very unique and an international holiday. Some traditions consider Mardi Gras as the whole period of celebratory activity, beyond just a single day. Some of the cities that Mardi Gras is considered a big celebration are, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Barranquilla, Colombia, Sydney, Australia, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Quebec City, and many more.

In the United States Mardi Gras, or “Carnival” as some people call it, is most famous for the party that the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, hosts every year for the celebration. In 1857 parades were hosted and the lavish creation of floats became a yearly tradition. The “Krewes” were formed and exist to this day as organizations that build floats and throw beads and other gifts to the crowd during the Mardi Gras parades.

People travel from all over the world to New Orleans to experience the celebration of Mardi Gras.

Do you celebrate Mardi Gras? If so, what traditions do you follow?

Happy International Education Week!

We here at Mango believe that education along with culture is an extremely important combination to enhance everyone’s understanding about the world that we live in. Since world communication through foreign languages is our passion, we are very excited to celebrate International Education Week!

IEW is an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. The week is dedicated to enhancing international awareness across the nation as well as to reinforcing the importance of the exchange of students and scholars across borders.

Initiated in 2000 by the US Department of State and the Department of Education, International Education Week emphasizes the importance of increasing student knowledge and awareness of the world’s cultures, peoples and languages, and affirms the critical role that international education and exchange programs play in fostering world peace.

How will you celebrate IEW?

Passing into May – passer le mai

Mention May 1st in France and people will automatically think of two things: (1) Great, no work today! and (2) Let’s go buy some muguet! Muguet is the French word for lily of the valley, a white flower that is closely associated to the French Labor Day holiday or Fête du Travail.  Growing up in Renaison, a small village in the Roannais (an agricultural region about two hours from Lyon), my father would return from his morning errands on May 1 with un brin de muguet (a small bunch of lily of the valley) tied with a ribbon for my mother, brother, grandmother, and me.  Muguet is found everywhere that day as vendors set up shop on street corners throughout France.

On the night of April 30th to May 1st, there is a local custom called passer le mai (passing into May).  Late into the night, young people go from house to house singing joyful songs about the renewal of spring, similar to how some Americans sing carols at Christmas.  People used to invite the carolers into their homes and offer them eggs and coins, but nowadays this custom is less prevalent.

Oddly enough, the May 1st holiday originated in the United States when large groups of workers protested in 1886 to shorten the work day to eight hours.  French unions followed suit, and May 1st became a day for workers to schedule protests in favor of a shorter work day.  Workers would wear a red triangle to symbolize the division of the day into work, sleep and leisure.  May 1st officially became a paid bank holiday in France in the 1940s.  Although the holiday was once celebrated with a red flower, a color associated with France’s Socialist Party, the more neutral muguet eventually took its place. The muguet is a symbol of happiness and joy, so don’t forget to buy one if you happen to be in France that day!

International Women's Day – March 8th

Women of Mango, the US, and the entire world – Happy March 8!!!!!

March 8th is International Women’s Day which celebrates the economic, political, and social achievements of women past, present, and future.  Did you know that in some places like China, Russia, Ukraine, Vietnam, and Bulgaria, March 8th is a national holiday? These countries do really love their women ☺!
Even though March 8th originated in the USA, it is not well-known holiday here.  Many associate this holiday with the Socialist movements of the 20th century; however, in many regions of the world, the day has lost its political flavor, and has simply become an occasion for men to express their love for women in a way somewhat similar to a mixture of Mother’s Day and St Valentine’s Day.

The Women’s Day was and still is a very popular holiday in Ukraine (the country where I was born and raised).  Mothers, grandmothers, wives, sisters, aunts, schoolmates, coworkers – no one lacks attention on this day.  Children prepare self-made postcards with flowers and greetings for their moms; husbands do dishes, laundry and house cleaning (what a true holiday!), and they give the women they love spring flowers. I woke up this morning and saw a beautiful bouquet of spring flowers in front of me – what a great start of the day!  Kudos to my husband ☺.  It brought me a memory of how I got my first flower and first kiss on the March 8th – well, I was 4 and yes, it happened in  kindergarten…

Does your family celebrate March 8th?

California Library Association Conference 2009

The California Library Association Conference was held in sunny Pasadena this year. Since the conference fell on Halloween weekend we felt that the theme of the booth should reflect the holiday. We decked the booth out in orange and black shirts and hung our customized Halloween banner. Visitors flocked to the booth to collect t-shirts, candy, and most importantly to see Mango Basic our new product.

We had a great time meeting with new librarians and our current customers! You all rock!