Mango Languages

Why do you learn a language?

While the end result may be the same for many language-learners, the motivation can be unique for every learner.

Below are three quotes that relate to  three different situations I found myself in this past week.

1.
“Learning another language is not only learning different words for the same things, but learning another way to think about things.”
‒Flora Lewis

While catching up with an old friend from high school and mentioning where I worked, I was excited to hear that he had not only heard of Mango Languages, but he was also starting to use it, thanks to Mango Military through the US coastguard! He  shared his new goal to learn Spanish as a new dad and husband. It seemed random at first, as both him and his wife, and their families, all speak English. When I asked why, he told me that he wants to learn Spanish to be able to better communicate with the teachers at his son’s daycare.  It was great to see him making such an effort to ensure that communication was always clear for the well-being of his son, but it also was great to see that language-barriers don’t have to push people apart, in fact in this situation, it is only bringing people closer!

2.
“The limits of my language are the limits of my world.”
‒Ludwig Wittgenstein

A friend from Mexico who recently moved to the United States for work asked me if I knew any fun and easy ways to learn a new language (Mango Languages!) so that his girlfriend who is still in Mexico could start learning English.  After telling him all about Mango Languages I realized that he also had a unique motivation for learning a different language; his future! It was touching to see that he thought about his girlfriend’s comfort and success as they contemplate their future together beyond their comfort zone and in a foreign country.

3.
“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.”
-Nelson Mandela

Hitting a little closer to home, my Turkish boyfriend’s parents, after hearing all about my new job at Mango Languages, wanted to know how and how fast they could start learning English. With my efforts to learn Turkish and their effort to learn English, I was excited at the prospect of us being able to communicate without needing a constant translator (the boyfriend ). I was also touched that they were willing to take time and put an effort into learning a language in order to be able to talk to me and my family. It also made me realize how much it would mean to them and to my boyfriend for me to be able to speak to them in their native language. Without doubt, my Turkish-learning experience continues!

After talking to these friends and family, I realized how extremely happy and thankful I was for being able to be a part of their language-learning experience. In the end, everyone has a different motivation for learning a language. Maybe it is out of necessity, or out of thirst for knowledge, or maybe its for love.  Whatever it may be, I hope you continue to find motivation and encouragement!

Thank you from Mango Languages

We are so thankful. For you.

For you, the enthusiastic librarian whose creativity and passion for helping your community or campus impress us beyond words.

For you, the curious global citizen who wouldn’t dream of traveling to a new country assuming everyone speaks English.

For you, the ambitious new citizen who can’t wait to learn English to meet your neighbors.

For all of you, who allow us to pursue our passion and share our goal to enrich lives with language and culture, we are thankful.

Bonne action de grâce! Happy Thanksgiving from Mango!

Guest Blog: Celebrating Veteran’s Day

Today’s guest blog post comes from Mango Government Ambassador and Client Care Specialist, Jane Potee.  Thank you for sharing your touching story with us, Jane!

This year’s Veteran’s Day has special significance to me.   My 83-year old father relocated in September from Indiana to an assisted living facility nearby my home in Michigan.  This year we will celebrate Veteran’s Day closer than we have for years.  I always knew my father was retired United States Air Force Korea, but I never knew much of his time spent in the military.  I am learning more now that we are closer in distance.

A few years back I was privileged to accompany a group of U.S. Marine Corps Veterans on a trip to visit the war memorials in Washington D.C.  During this trip our group visited the following memorials: Vietnam Wall, Iwo Jima, World War I, World II, Korean War monuments and Arlington Cemetery.  I picked up a Korean War Veteran’s hat at one of the local D.C. souvenir stands to bring back to my Dad.  My Dad was a business executive and for much of his career his attire was shined shoes, suit and tie.  I was not sure if Dad would welcome my gift of the Veterans’ hat, let alone wear it.

Imagine my surprise when he started wearing it.  In fact he began to share stories with me of strangers on the street who would come up and thank him for his service to his country.  I soon noticed a bit more “spring” in his step and a straighter posture when he was wearing his Veteran’s hat.  Merchants and business people also took to noticing him in his hat, and acknowledged him for his country’s service.  Sixty some years later, he was receiving validation for his time in military service, and it was gratifying.

In the few years that have passed since Dad first got his hat, his body – like his hat – has become more tired-looking and ragged with age.  The emblem on the hat, however, still shines bright, much like the light within the retired Air Force Korean veteran that wears it.

So how does this story connect to Mango Languages?  Mango Languages, a FEDLINK certified vendor, is proud to support thousands of active and retired Military and Government users all over the world.  Many of these Mango users connect to Mango online via their assignment to a military base or affiliation to one of our Armed Forces.  Mango created a customized program, Mango Military, which uses critical commands and phrases to better enable service personnel deployed overseas.  Our program is also used by service members for whom second language proficiency is critical to their rank or command.  For more information on Mango’s language learning solutions for the government, click here.

This year on November 10th, 2012 Veteran’s Day, take time to thank a Veteran.  Like the quote says, “…they rose to the occasion.  All of the values their mothers and fathers and grandparents taught them, they learned.  They stepped up to the plate.  They did not just follow their leaders, they ACCOMPANIED their leaders.  Sometimes, they LED the way!”… And sometimes they still wear the hat that proves it.

FEDLINK Veteran’s Day Promotion:

To celebrate Veteran’s Day, Mango is offering new FEDLINK clients their choice of 3 Mango Playaway devices to add to your library’s collection.  The set, valued at $120, will be provided completely free-of-charge to new FEDLINK clients that sign up for a Mango subscription by December 31^st, 2012.  For more information, please email usa.gov@mangolanguages.com or call 1-899-626-4611, Government Sales.

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!

Howdy, Partner.

Mango is more than just another fruit-themed vendor.  We partner with our clients because we truly care about them becoming a hub for culture and language learning.  How do we love thee? Let us count the ways.

1. The MAP
The Mango Administration Portal is your home for stats galore, training resources and more promotional goodies than you can shake a Mango tree branch at.

2. Freebies.
Speaking of marketing goodies, through the MAP you have access to free downloadable and customizable marketing materials like blog posts, press releases, website images and even sample Twitter posts.  Tweet, tweet.

3. FindMango.com
The more patrons, the merrier. With findmango.com, we’re working to drive more traffic to your library.  New patrons can find their way by visiting findmango.com and entering their zip code.  From there, we link them directly to your site and even instruct them to high-five their librarian when they get a library card!  Check it out: findmango.com.

4. Social Media Feature
We help your patrons show off and spread word of the knowledge they gained at your library. Our new Social Media Feature lets users post their language-learning progress on Facebook and Twitter, earn virtual badges and send all their friends to findmango.com to drive traffic to your library.

5. Mango 101 Staff Training Webinar
This live training session is designed to turn you and your staff into Mango Masters.  We’ll walk you through the program step-by-step, answer any questions, show you how to access your library’s stats, and provide you with tips on how to promote Mango and boost usage at your library.

6.  So many more ways.
Contact your Mango rep today to find out all the other ways Mango partners with you and impacts your community.

Mango Languages: LJ’s “Best Database for Library Outreach”

Mango is excited and honored to announce that we were voted the “Best Database for Library Outreach” by Library Journal!  Check it out in Library Journal’s first annual Reference Issue, coming out on Nov. 1^st.

This recognition is especially meaningful, since our goal is to be a partner for our library clients, not just a resource.  We work with libraries to promote awareness of their digital resources and help them become a hub for language and culture in their community.

One of our newest awareness campaigns is the launch of FindMango.com.  This website helps users locate libraries in their area that offer Mango, driving traffic to our partner libraries and promoting awareness of their resources.  Mango also offers a host of free marketing materials, live training sessions, detailed usage statistics, and a bunch of other awesome services to help our clients optimize their Mango experience.

Want to learn more about how Mango benefits libraries?  Check out our webinar!

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.

Mango welcomes Challenge Detroit participant, Jared Berman

While the diverse staff at Mango Languages hails from cities all over the globe, we are proud to call Detroit, Michigan our home and are thrilled to welcome Challenge Detroit participant Jared Berman to our team.

Challenge Detroit is an urban revitalization initiative aimed at bringing together 30 innovative leaders from across the country to live, work, play and give in Detroit.

Jared will be working at Mango Languages while also contributing to the Challenge Detroit initiative where he will participate in monthly team challenges and work with area non-profits to positively impact the city and region.

Please join us in welcoming Jared to Mango. You can learn more about Jared and Challenge Detroit by visiting www.challengedetroit.org.

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.