Over time, that belief became a body of real work—interpreters stepping into hospitals, conferences, community events, and live situations where clarity truly matters. In those moments, language is not abstract; it is urgent, emotional, and deeply human.

A single sentence can carry relief, confusion, hope, or fear—and interpretation becomes the bridge that makes understanding possible.

But just as importantly, the company has always carried a second heartbeat: culture, celebration, and connection.

From holiday greetings and cultural festivals to team gatherings, music, and shared moments of joy, Monterey Language Services reflects the full range of human experience—not only the serious and high-stakes, but also the warm, expressive, and communal.

This same spirit flows through its growing archive of 90+ videos, capturing both critical real-world interpretation work and the lived culture around it.

What has been built is more than a language services company—it is a record of human connection in every form, and a foundation that blends professional expertise with genuine cultural life.

The untold stories of medical interpreters: Courage, Compassion, and Connection:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLO-QGEbwcTr2GRCtm5U6yonnL_e6hj_en&si=0z_JL70pKBssc6k9

★Major Playlist

Our Work in Action: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLO-QGEbwcTr1i2DMoYWim6SbHeROKNqXX&si=3SEjeLcffgexBSh9

Multilingual Localization: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLO-QGEbwcTr2wkV_G7CLhoSINDOXe1pKj&si=ClzGP-3Gg7umHUSj

Global Family Celebrations: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLO-QGEbwcTr32m8jh4UgmCEInXVan-bLI&si=4ugEd-9QKmLbOXiS

Translation and Interpretation Services: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLO-QGEbwcTr3VduLMGzD9UGzQZ5ZVfoGO&si=G15LG9oTInQurc6Z

Chinese Localization Sample and Case Study: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLO-QGEbwcTr14xqfiR38Mp-EhHAmclsUY&si=rd3Xocb0Ud9nWNc1

Interpreters and Voices: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLO-QGEbwcTr2MdhbLPPGszMw8Rdc5J9aI&si=HbiwF9bT4zr6S3hd

Mood Booster: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLO-QGEbwcTr3OJJh-NjBcMrvH9VCN0fsi&si=EFMYK_1Ai1UzvcDR

★Featured videos About Us

Interpreters and Music: https://youtu.be/yl0vHQPHXA8?si=PygDRdShZgsLiGRR

Monterey Language Services has had a strong partnership with Central Coast Community Energy for 5 years. During that time, we have helped to translate materials so that their customers can have a greater understanding of promotions, bills, and other notifications. Our great service and quality is why year after year, Central Coast Community Energy chooses to work with Monterey Language Services for its language needs.

“Dear Mei-Ling, Happy Holidays to you. We are grateful for our partnership and the important work we do together.” – Peter

“Happy Holidays Mei-Ling! Have a wonderful season” – Lena

“Dear Mei-Ling, Happy Holidays to you and your team! Thanks for all you do.” -Luke

As an IEP interpretation provider, we often think about what we can do or what information we can put out to improve the lives of the people we serve. In today’s blog, we will be going over techniques to create a growth mindset in your child, rather than a fixed one.

Fixed Mindset vs. Growth Mindset

Stanford University professor of psychology, Carol Dweck, has written extensively about mindsets and their effect on learning. Carol’s research is often based on the difference between a “fixed” mindset and a “growth” mindset, with “fixed” meaning that the person thinks that their abilities are static and can’t be changed, and “growth” meaning that the person sees setbacks as a chance to learn and improve from their mistakes.

As an example, consider a person who wants to become an artist. She may draw a picture and see only her flaws in it; and any constructive criticism from others makes her think, “I will never be able to get better, unlike the people who have natural talent.” This person would have a “fixed” mindset.

On the other hand, a person with a “growth” mindset would see the flaws and constructive criticism and think, “There is plenty of room for improvement. It might be difficult, but with enough practice and learning, I can become better.” While she might not become the next Michelangelo, this person might find joy in the challenge of improving herself and become a great artist in her own right.

How to Promote a Growth Mindset

1. Praise Effort and Perseverance

Even if your child doesn’t achieve “success” in project or endeavor, it’s still important to praise their attempts at success. For example, say your child wants to read a book aloud, but they read slowly or mispronounce words. It’s the act of doing something, often repeatedly, that allows many of us to improve and hone our skills. Encouraging your child for their effort and perseverance even through failure is vital.

You might do this by giving their efforts genuine interest—such as listening to their reading aloud, or watching them as they paint or color—and saying things like “I’m proud that you don’t give up,” “You’ve improved a lot,” or pointing out specific successes, even minor, like, “Good job on remembering how to read that word!”

2. Teach Leadership and Cooperation

It’s important to remember that, with humans being social creatures, we often have successes, growth, or otherwise positive impacts on ourselves and others through working as a team. While everyone has a different level of comfort with teamwork, teamwork is often a necessary skill in life. Talk with your child about what it took to work in a group, and what they may have done to help take responsibility for their team.

When encouraging leadership, remember that leadership does not correlate 1:1 with authority or a position of power. Rather than praising your child for giving terse, blunt commands, you should praise kindness, calm explanations, or presenting ideas.

3. Encourage Organization and Thoughtfulness

Organization is key in helping your child maintain good habits and mindsets. When a child has good organizational skills, they can keep better track of homework, chores, and the like, which gives them more room to grow. Thoughtfulness and intention are key to starting and keeping good organizational habits. Encourage your child to keep homework in special folders, put clothes away in the correct drawers, or to practice an instrument or sport at routine times, and praise them when they do.

Remember that each child is different. What works for your oldest child might not work for your youngest child, and some might need special assistance if they have a disability. Regardless, remember that your child is growing and learning every day, and that includes making mistakes or not knowing how to do things. Children need not only encouragement, but models to follow. If you’re not particularly good at organization, perhaps your partner or friend is. There’s no harm in asking for help.

Technology can make remote interpretation as easy as 1-2-3, but at the same time, there can be any number of technical problems that can interfere with an interpretation assignment. Even though problems do happen, it’s our responsibility to minimize them. Having the prudency to keep an eye out for any problems and their solutions is a key skill for interpreters and everyone to have in modern days. In today’s blog, we will be highlighting some common connection issues and what to do in those circumstances.

Interpretation Links

Occasionally, the link you use to log into the meeting may be incorrect. The most common scenario is probably due to a separate meeting being created, causing you to wait in an empty room. If you as an interpreter find yourself in this case, it is best to get in contact with the language service provider you are working with as quickly as possible to ensure that you receive the correct link.

Interpretation Times

The appointment time may be mistakenly written by any party involved in the scheduling, causing the interpreter to be either early or late. To prevent this from happening, it is best to set a reminder that’s sent 24 hours before an interpretation event starts, so all parties including the client and interpreter can double-check on the proper start time and the right link.

Updates

Many of us have experienced this situation. As soon as logging into a conferencing application, you were notified that the application requires an update. This can cause you to be nervous about being late to the meeting. Testing your application at least 30 minutes before logging into the appointment to make sure everything is up to date is a good way to ensure that you aren’t affected by any sudden updates.

Sudden Change of Interpretation Methods

For various reasons, there may be a sudden change in the method for remote interpreting, such as resorting to the telephone or another type of video conferencing service. In such circumstances, make sure to keep your email and phone ready and handy to see if any notification of changes come to you.

Power or Internet Fluctuations

Fluctuations in power or internet can be unavoidable and unpredictable. You may be able to circumvent power outages or battery shortage by planning ahead as much as possible. Charge your phone, laptop, and computer fully. Always think of a backup plan. If occasionally, things just can’t be helped. In these cases, be apologetic and contact your language service provider or the meeting host for contingency.

Remote work deeply affected the language services industry as well, of course. While many translators who already performed their work remotely were able to adapt well, interpreters who were used to going to events in-person suddenly found themselves having to figure their ways around new video or phone systems and rely on their clients’ ability to use technology as well. By now, in late 2022, these interpreters probably have a good handle on remote work now, but we have a hunch that they’re happy about the recent return to in-person meetings and gatherings.

According to USA Facts, 68% of the United States’ population have been fully vaccinated as of November 2022, while roughly a third of the whole population has had a booster dose as well. While 21% of people in the United States seem to have not had any doses of the vaccine at all, the number of those who at least have some protection is still high. While there is still some risk to in-person meetings, the vaccine helps prevent particularly adverse cases of Covid-19.

With the increase in in-person meetings, wherever possible or requested, we at Monterey Language Services like to send interpreters to on-site meetings. In-person meetings provide less of a risk of missing information due to shaky internet connections or not being able to see the speakers clearly, and we fully support that our interpreters go in-person so long as they are vaccinated and feel safe. Many patients need the in-person support of an interpreter so that they feel comforted in a situation that they might otherwise feel very tense in.

We recently posted about sending Spanish interpreters to a school board event, but we also regularly send interpreters to other places as well, such as medical institutions like major county hospitals, children’s hospitals, large medical groups’ health centers, and even clinics under the State of California’s innovative and research contracts. It is our honor and privilege to be able to provide safe service so many community healthcare facilities, and we admire these places for being able to provide safe, clean spaces for staff, patients, and interpreters to interact.

Recently, Monterey Language Services provided simultaneous Spanish interpretation at a school board meeting. The parents of many students at this school are Mexican Spanish-speaking with a wide range of English proficiency, and the staff had become concerned that these parents were missing out on crucial information regarding school policies.

As a language service provider, we understand the importance of and advocate for information distribution. We jumped at the opportunity and immediately set to locating the most qualified interpreters in the community.

The Search

We have a vast network of interpreters, which allows us to choose the best interpreters for the job. In this case, we ended up picking two interpreters who were local to the area and subject matter experts.

You might be wondering why we assigned two interpreters. For a simultaneous event, it is standard practice to have team interpreters. Given the mental taxation for simultaneous interpretation, one interpreter will speak for a given amount of time (generally twenty to thirty minutes), then take turns with the other interpreter. This way interpreters can take a break, help with another matter at the event if need be, or provide notes or backup to each other.

We thought it was appropriate to assign interpreters from the area, as the interpreters have a closer association with local events and therefore have more enthusiasm in giving back to the community.

The fact that our two interpreters for this assignment are subject matter experts concerning education is another boon, because they know about the ins and outs of the education system.

The Preparation

Our office carries a plethora of equipment for interpretation events, including microphone headsets, transmitters, receivers, and receiver headsets. As a brief rundown, the interpreter usually whispers their interpretation into a microphone headset, which goes through a transmitter to the receivers; the interpreter’s words then are delivered right to the listeners’ ears through the receiver headsets.

We count out the number of headsets, transmitters, and receivers needed, then test each one to ensure that they work. Once all equipment is checked and accounted for, we wipe them with alcohol swabs to assure cleanliness before packing them into foam-lined cases to make sure nothing accidentally gets damaged.

Setup and Execution

Since this was the first interpretation event performed at this school, our office manager arrived an hour before the event. Preparation on-site began with introduction of the equipment to our client, in which we included written instructions for reference.

We also made sure to give the interpreters a place to be where they could see and hear the speakers, as well as see any supplementary material that the speakers put on a television screen. This setup allowed the interpreters to take in all available information so that their interpretation would be as accurate as possible.

Cleanup

Once all equipment was brought back to our office, we took great care to ensure that everything was still working well. Inspecting the equipment after an event can be a delicate process that includes checking for malfunctions, cracks, broken wires, etc. Given that Covid-19 is still a prevalent concern, we clean the equipment with alcohol swabs yet again before storing it.

Another concern is that, as our transmitters and receivers are battery-powered, we check for battery corrosion, which can harm the equipment and cause it to stop working. Leaving batteries for too long inside any equipment can lead to leakage of the hydrogen gas inside, so we always make sure to take batteries out when our transmitters and receivers are not being prepped for use or in-use.

The Result

The school office advertised to parents that there would be simultaneous Spanish interpretation at their school board event, and many of the people coming into the meeting were excited, even those who did not need interpretation services themselves. Spanish speakers eagerly took receivers and headsets, thanking our office manager and interpreters for the assistance. A conversation with a Spanish-speaking teacher revealed that there had been lots of anticipation around this event, and that the schoolboard was eager to provide an even better experience at the next one.

Getting to see how the Spanish speakers were excited about receiving information in Spanish at the same time as the English speakers is very inspiring and this is what helping people with communication is all about. It’s a rewarding experience and we look forward to the next one!

According to the article, Professor Jeremy Siegel is claiming that the Federal Reserve doesn’t see that inflation rates are easing, therefore, the Federal Reserve plans to increase interest rates to combat what they see as high inflation rates, and Siegal believes that this will push the economy into the red.

In other words, Siegel is saying that by raising interest rates and making things more expensive, the Federal Reserve is trying to slow down consumer spending to prevent the economy from crashing if it grows too fast.

Think of it like putting more pressure on the brakes to slow down a car so you don’t hit the vehicle in front of you. Regular people tend to like being able to spend money freely, but in doing so, the economy—think of it again like the car—goes faster, causing inflation rates to go up as demand for products goes up. If consumer spending isn’t slowed by higher interest rates put forth by the Federal Reserve, the economy will crash—just like the car.

So now one of the major questions for us is: How can we combat a recession? In other words, how can we weather the storm, or even try to limit its effects, when we are just ordinary people?

1. Try to refrain from spending too much but at the same time not to be too afraid of spending. In a recession, customers and businesses may be too scared to spend money, but also remember, less spending contributes to a deeper recession, and how long it occurs for.
2. Spend money on right things and in right directions, such as paying off debt, or investing in improvements or good safety nets for yourself or your business.
3. Show your value at work. Without showing value, it would be hard for anyone to be safe at any workplace at a recession. During a recession, even Google or Facebook would lay off employees too. Therefore, it’s important to do your best and secure your current position.

Language Service Providers aren’t just responsible for their business, but also for their employees and their families. Weathering a recession is incredibly important for our business, so what can LSPs do?

1. Remember that language services as a need aren’t going to disappear, so don’t panic. With our increasingly globalized world, language service requests can come from virtually anywhere, even outside of the United States.
2. Cut costs where you can, but treat your employees—and your vendors—well. Employees are the backbone of every company, and one that is treated well will want to give back in every way that they can. Besides, letting go of good employees only to be looking to hire later and train someone new costs time and energy as well.
3. As a business, we often think a recession presents opportunities as well. We should all be more careful and thoughtful in planning and looking ahead to contribute to the health of our company.

Interestingly, this specific order might not affect translators all that much. Most translators already complete most of their work remotely. Translation does not need to be done in person, so many translators live in their home country, or in a country whose language they translate into.

Interpreters are significantly and directly impacted by the COVID-19 virus and stay-at-home orders. While there are remote interpretation services (such as phone and video interpretation), a majority of interpreters still complete most of their work in person. This is no longer possible for most interpretation jobs. In order to support interpreters, LSPs and the interpreters themselves should work with clients to set up remote services, including video and phone interpretation. There are many online platforms available, which our interpreters are familiar with. They are ready to offer services using these platforms, so that they can still provide necessary interpretations in a safe way.

Of course, this stay-at-home order doesn’t just affect linguists. It affects everyone who works in the companies that provide language services: project managers, vendor managers, localization engineers, sales teams, etc. At Monterey Language Services, we have many years of experience in working from home. While some of our operations do take place in our physical Monterey office, we also have several employees who already work remotely full time.

Working from home presents a major lifestyle change for many people. It does require people to learn how to balance life and work and how to maintain their energy and strive to reach their goals at work. In our experience, when employees are working remotely, it is not important to track employees’ actions and tasks every minute of the day; micromanaging is not an effective strategy. Rather, it is about everyone having a common goal and working toward that common goal comfortably yet effectively. It’s about managing tasks rather than managing people.

Working effectively from home requires various technological resources. We optimize our technology to help us successfully work from home; we use our virtual private network (VPN) to share and access files, we keep open channels of communication via apps on our work phones, and more. We are working hard to remain available to our clients who need our services, and to provide as much support as we can to the translators and interpreters that we work with.

During times like these, staying connected is more important than ever. We need to support language professionals and continue providing translation and interpretation services, so that people can stay informed and connected throughout the world, even if this connection is remote!

Some countries, like Canada, have two or more official languages. This usually means that everything is required by federal law to be provided in both languages; in Canada, these are English and French. The United States as a country doesn’t have such a law, but there are other federal regulations regarding language access that have been implemented throughout time. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 states that “No person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance,” which encompasses discrimination based on English proficiency. In 2000, Bill Clinton signed Executive Order 13166, entitled “Improving Access to Services for Persons With Limited English Proficiency,” to specifically address the issue of language access for limited English proficiency (LEP) individuals in America.

Some language access decisions and regulations are left to the states to determine as well. This allows states to customize their requirements based on the actual people who live in that state. For example, a study conducted by the National Health Law Program found that in California, there are 257 legal provisions related to language access in health care alone. In Wyoming, there are only four. There are many LEP communities and a wide range of different languages that are spoken in California compared to Wyoming, which is one reason why California has so many more regulations regarding language access.

Language access has incredibly important legal implications for many types of service providers. Each one needs to be sure that they are following the law and providing support for all necessary languages. Language service providers (LSPs) like Monterey Language Services make it possible to provide services in any necessary language. LSPs usually have a great understanding of the legal requirements and can even provide consultations on how to provide linguistic support that follows the law.

Even if there are no laws specifically governing language access for your product or service, you would want to make it as accessible as possible to clients and consumers. After all, the more people who can understand your offering, the more people who are likely to use or buy it!

At Monterey Language Services we are passionate about expanding language access; we believe that everyone has the right to communicate with people and understand information in the way that is best for them, and that often means it will not be done only in English. We work hard to provide services in languages that are as common as Spanish to ones that are rare like Triqui, so that everyone no matter who they are can both listen and be heard.

Since the importance of language service providers’ work cannot be stressed enough, we would like to shed some light on the positives that come from working with language service providers (LSPs).

You might think, “I have a family member who speaks another language, why can’t I ask them to do it?” In some cases, if the situation is low-stakes and simple, that may be helpful. But most requests for translation and interpretation have high stakes and require training that your friend or family member probably doesn’t have: simply being bilingual isn’t enough.

Translators are excellent writers in their native language, and they are trained to research and use technology effectively to help the translation process. They know how to take into account the register, purpose, discourse, and audience of a text in order to translate completely, accurately, and fluently.

Interpreters have another refined skill set, including differentiating key information, using appropriate terminology, and using various memory and note-taking techniques. Language professionals know how to do jobs accurately and efficiently, whereas untrained people are more likely to make mistakes or lack experience in bridging the gap between two languages, which can make a huge difference down the road.

Now you’re convinced that you need a professional, but you don’t know any – where can you find such a person?

This is where LSPs come into play. LSPs have strong networks of vetted translators and interpreters whose performances are evaluated regularly. LSPs know which translators specialize in legal translation, which interpreters specialize in medical and health care interpreting, etc. They also work hard to understand the client’s request and related needs, so that they can find the perfect match for the job.

Finding the right translator/interpreter is one major function of LSPs, but they do much more. LSPs can handle large volumes of work, and they can complete projects ranging from translation of a simple Word document to video subtitling to providing interpretation for conferences. Of course, every LSP is different; some choose to focus on certain domains (such as legal, technical, or medical) and some specialize in only one or two types of projects (audiovisual localization, for example). No matter what they specialize in, the best LSPs have plenty of experience working with language-related projects and can deliver high-quality projects to client’s satisfaction!

The multilingual experience that LSPs have allows them to provide consultations and advice to clients about linguistic and cultural differences that could affect their projects. Different languages have different challenges, and LSPs have experience tackling these. Most importantly, LSPs are typically familiar with different cultures and they can spot any potential faux pas and correct them before the project is finalized.

Our final thought: Most people who find their way to working in the translation and interpretation industry are incredibly talented and passionate about languages! Whether they are translators, interpreters, LSP employees, or other language professionals, they have spent their time training and refining their skills. LSPs like Monterey Language Services are able to harness the talents and passion of these people and channel it into high quality language services for our clients!