trying to set up iPad mini -get foreign language-how can I change it to English?

Try:

iOS: How to change the language when it's set to one you don't understand

Also, where are you located? Is the iPad trying to use same language as you location?

Is your iTunes account associated with the country?

Maybe try a reset and try again

Reset iOS device: Hold down the On/Off button and the Home button at the same time for at

least ten seconds, until the Apple logo appears.

I would reset and try again.

Was the wrong language selected during inital setup? The first thing an iPad asks you, is to choose the language to use.

Where exactly during setup are you?

Is the iPad brand new out of the box? Or did it have a previous owner?

If it had a previous owner, the best idea is to set it up as new. Otherwise the apps currently installed ill require the previous owners apple ID to update.