Go Around the World in a Click
Ti piacerebbe imparare a parlare italiano bene?
Or maybe ye’re goal be to impress ye buckos by speakin’ scurvy pirate.
Don’t worry. The rest of this article isn’t in Italian or “pirate.”
But even if it were, you could probably read it if you take advantage of the foreign language instructions the San Diego County Library (SDCL) has just started offering online.
The library has free courses available 24/7 in Chinese, Tagalog, French, Arabic, Spanish and 56 other languages – including “pirate” – through the Mango Languages online language-learning system. The only requirements are that you have a SDCL library card and create a Mango user profile.
“Russian novelist Alexander Solzhenitsyn once wrote, ‘Own only what you can carry with you; know language, know countries, know people. Let your memory be your travel bag.’” said Library Director José Aponte. “SDCL is giving the community of San Diego County the tools they need to explore new worlds, whether that’s by learning a new language or by visiting a different country in person or through a good book.”
The program also allows speakers of 16 different languages the opportunity to learn English as a second language and includes a built-in language translator.
Once you create your Mango user profile, you can immediately log onto the website and begin learning. Mango Languages uses intuitive interactive tools to teach users a foreign language. The program is self-paced, allowing users to build fluency at the rate that works best for them. Mango also teaches insight into the culture, to help users fully understand the language and its context.
SDCL also has free e-book travel guides to more than 25 destinations around the world. The collection features Lonely Planet guides to some of the world’s most popular tourist destinations such as England, Japan, Walt Disney World, the Grand Canyon, Jamaica and Italy.
The guides recommend what to see, what to skip and hidden discoveries in each of the destinations. There are maps, reviews of hotels and restaurants and cultural insights.
The travel guides are always available with no waiting lists.