Mango Languages

An (Educated) Argument for Language Learning

Let’s be honest: being a college freshman can be pretty overwhelming.  In between all of the important decisions to be made (Which associations should I join?  Can I find a mentor?  Should I pursue research opportunities?), it can often be challenging to fit in everything a student wants to do.  But one part of the higher-level education experience that we don’t think anyone should forgo is the opportunity to study and gain skills in a foreign language.

Of course, we’re clearly biased.  So in true academic style, we’re going to lay out our supporting arguments for why we think you should make language learning part of your educational experience.

1)   Increase job prospects and get an edge on the competition.

Knowledge of a foreign language not only increases the number of jobs you qualify for, but it also helps you stand out from the competition – even for jobs that don’t require bilingualism.

2)   Open doors to international opportunities.

Ever wanted to join the Peace Corps?  Volunteer for an overseas Habitat for Humanity project?  What about an international mission trip?  Or perhaps you’d like to teach English abroad?  Knowledge of a foreign language opens the door to a wealth of experiences and opportunities.  Don’t miss out.

3)   Study works in their original form.

We all know that nothing compares to studying a work of literature, poetry, or song in its original form.  Having an understanding of the language provides you with the ability to pick up on tone, voice, and other literary nuances that you likely wouldn’t be able to appreciate if studying a translated version.

4)   Be awesome.

Let’s face it.  Speaking a second language is just plain cool.  Being able to say that you’re bilingual not only impresses friends and colleagues, but also provides you with a greater understanding and appreciation for foreign cultures.  This knowledge will benefit you both academically and professionally, and also opens doors to incredible adventures.  Being able to travel without language barriers allows you to venture off the beaten path, bond with locals, and essentially have the trip of a lifetime.

So we know you may be thinking, “sure, this all sounds great…but how am I going to fit this in to my busy academic calendar?”  We know that it simply isn’t realistic for every student to invest in a full-time foreign language course.  Well here’s the good news: Mango offers instruction in over 40 foreign languages, and it’s available anytime, anywhere for free through most libraries in the U.S.  Log in from home, on campus, or even from your smartphone.  Mango is designed to teach you practical content that you’ll actually use in the real world.  So ask your college library today if they offer Mango Languages.

For more on how Mango Languages can benefit academic institutions – or to sign up for a free trial – click here.

Adventures in Language Learning: Mango Fans Share “Moment of Pride”

This week we asked our Mango fans on Facebook to share with us their proudest language learning moment.  The responses we got were awesome.  Each of the stories – while unique – demonstrated how fruitful it can be to understand and communicate in a second language.  Here’s just a slice of the feedback we received:

• “In Tokyo, I was given the incorrect change when purchasing boat tickets… I was pretty proud when I politely pointed out the cashier’s mistake and he apologized and gave me the correct change.” – Alan D.
• “I outwitted a crooked cabbie in China, found a private club in Mexico, helped a Spaniard navigate the trains in Italy, and swept a cute French girl off her feet, but my happiest moments are when I can help foreigners right here in the USA.” – Donald S.
• “Haggling for art on Montmartre [in Paris]!” – Lola M.
• “I figured out how to purchase a cell phone at the mall in Chile years ago as an exchange student.  I was very proud that I was able to get all my questions understood and answered.” – Danielle S.

These stories of worldly adventure got us thinking about how helpful Mango can be to students who are planning to travel abroad.  While many students traveling overseas may be part of a foreign language program, there are a growing number of programs taught abroad in English that appeal to students of other disciplines, such as Art History, Ancient Civilizations, or International Studies.  Mango provides these student travelers with exposure to content that they will actually need when traveling to a foreign country.  You won’t find any lessons here about “the red cat sitting under table.”  We prefer to focus on practical content used in everyday conversations, such as: names and introductions, getting around, shopping and payment, dining, and asking for help.

And don’t forget the value of Mango’s unique culture notes!  Even if you’ve already taken French 101, Mango may teach you things you never knew about living in, getting around, and avoiding an embarrassing faux pas in France.

So before you book a ticket to study abroad in Italy or plan a volunteer trip to Latin America, make sure Mango is at the top of your prep list.  The experiences you’ll have will be enriched by your understanding of the language.  And who knows?  It may even get you out of a sticky situation…or lead you to love.

For more information on how Mango can benefit college and university students, check out our academic page.

Mango Languages: an A+ Resource for College Campuses

Fact: libraries love Mango, and Mango loves libraries.  But when it comes to our academic clients, we’ve found that Mango’s broad appeal makes it a hit not only at the library, but with many other programs as well.

Here’s just a few of the on-campus programs that Mango can benefit:

Career Center:  As a professional development tool, Mango can help students and alumni build in-demand language skills for the job market.

Study Abroad Program:  Mango prepares students for study abroad, volunteer trips, or international internship programs.

International Student Programs:  International and foreign exchange students benefit from Mango’s large selection of ESL (English as a second/foreign language) courses.

Alumni Association:  Alumni Associations can offer Mango as an attractive membership perk.

Faith-Based Organizations:  Mango can help members prepare for international missionary or volunteer trips.  Also, our specialized religious courses appeal to those who wish to explore Biblical texts in their original language.

So whether preparing to study abroad in China, trying to learn Spanish as a resume booster, or helping international students acquire practical English skills, Mango is the go-to resource to help students, alumni, and even faculty succeed in their mission to learn a foreign language.

To learn more about how Mango Languages can benefit academic institutions, click here.

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?

Living in France: Ma Familleaixoise

Leaving my family and friends to study in France for 6 months was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I tried to make that sound as believable as possible – did it work? Studying abroad meant traveling as much as possible, living in a country that considers food a form of art, and basking in the Mediterranean sun on a daily basis. Since I knew I would be coming home at the end of my séjour, leaving the good ole’ US of A wasn’t the hard part.

However, stepping on that plane in Marseille headed for Detroit after a life changing semester was a completely different story. This was evident in my full-fledged panic attack that ensued as soon as the plane landed – don’t worry, the stares from fellow passengers stopped after a few minutes. Don’t get me wrong, I was overjoyed to see those whose faces, hugs, and laughs I had missed in the previous months (not to mention beyond thrilled at the prospect of sleeping on a real mattress instead of the glorified piece of foam provided by my dorm). More than that, however, I was devastated at the thought of leaving all of the incredible friends I made during my time abroad.

When I first arrived in Aix-en-Provence, I thought it would be a matter of days before I was hob-nobbing with French students over wine and cheese. It took only a few minutes before reality slapped me in the face and I realized that my French skills were nowhere near that level of sophistication. It was much more difficult to make friends than I had thought. I was stumbling over my words and unable to express myself in a foreign language. Answering their questions was difficult enough, let alone trying to show any sort of humor that really reflected my personality.

Within time, however, I stopped worrying so much about my pronunciation or incorrect grammar and focused on something much more basic and exponentially more important – communication. I quickly realized that if I tried to resist speaking until I mastered the French accent or figured out how to properly use the subjunctive verb tense (neither of which I still do correctly), I would never make any friends. I also learned that these imperfections in my speaking actually spurred conversations with others. Where are you from? What inspired you to take French? Is this your first time in Europe? The occasional “you speak excellent French!” never ceased to put a smile on my face, no matter how big of a lie it was. Additionally, I encouraged people to correct me when I made an error. While slightly uncomfortable for them at first, this is what helped me the most and put me the most at ease in speaking with my peers. While they corrected my French, I provided the same service with their English.

Because nearly 1/3 of Aix-en-Provence is populated by students, most of my friends there were, in fact, not even French, but rather students studying abroad from all over the world. My best friends were from Romania, Slovakia, Algeria, and Scotland, amongst many other places I never even dreamed of visiting. Though we all spoke different native languages, French was the common factor. If not for this passion for foreign language, I would have missed out on getting to know this group of people that changed my life forever.

When you are thousands of miles away from everyone and everything you know, your friends play a different role in your life. They become your family as well. Together we cooked dinner every night, traveled, hung out in the park, studied (who am I kidding?), hung out and, most importantly, learned from each other. These friends truly became ma familleaixoise. Because of them, my experience in France was truly a cultural exchange. Through our conversations in French, I learned about traditional marriage practices in Algeria as my friend Youcef’s sister planned her wedding and from my friend Tomas, I discovered that it is common practice in Slovakia to recognize your “name day” with celebrations similar to that of a birthday (mine is May 6, in case anyone wants to send a gift).

Living so far away has made it difficult to stay in as close of contact as I would like, but thanks to the advent of programs like Skype and Facebook, we are still able to keep tabs on each other’s lives, see each other’s faces and most importantly, speak to one another (en français, biensûr)! As a French major and avid lover of foreign languages, I always recognized the benefits of language learning, but it wasn’t until I lived in France that I truly understood the importance. I could have easily surrounded myself with the other American students and stayed within my English comfort zone, but I chose to put myself out there. Was it easy? No. Did I humiliate myself? Endlessly.  But do I regret it? Not for one second.

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?