Neal, best way for you is to find the dominating English Linux Mint forum and community website, and ask there. Do not be shy to ask in the Newbie section. If it is like with the main German Mint forum website, then you will be given good advise and the needed spells to cure your curse.
The major German website would be:
http://www.linuxmintusers.de/
For English it cold be this one:
https://forums.linuxmint.com/