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

Our interpreters supported clinics serving patients with limited English proficiency through this initiative, led by the California Department of Health Care Services under SB 165 (Atkins, 2019, Chapter 365).

Please see the success story here: https://www.montereylanguages.com/blog/medical-interpreter-pilot-project-independent-findings-and-operational-insights-5214

Dear Mei-Ling:

I am writing to thank you for Monterey Language Services’ participation in the California Department of Health Care Services Medical Interpreter Pilot Project (MIPP). Your collaboration and the insights and feedback provided by your team were instrumental in assessing the impact of professional medical interpretation services on reducing health disparities and improving quality of care for Medi-Cal members with Limited English Proficiency.

I also want to advise you that the MIPP Final Evaluation is posted and ready for you to review. You can access the report at Medical Interpreter Pilot Project Final Evaluation.
Thank you again for your participation in the MIPP!

Please see the success story here: https://www.montereylanguages.com/blog/medical-interpreter-pilot-project-independent-findings-and-operational-insights-5214

When patients and professionals truly understand each other, outcomes improve. The Medical Interpreter Pilot Project demonstrated just how powerful clear communication can be—showing measurable improvements in patient engagement and preventive care.

But results like these don’t happen automatically. They depend on something fundamental: the quality, professionalism, and cultural competence of the interpreters supporting each interaction.

Looking beyond the headline results, it becomes clear that consistent standards, careful interpreter selection, and reliable scheduling all play an essential role in making effective communication possible.

More Than Language: Cultural Competence Matters

Professional interpreters do more than translate words. They help bridge the gap between two cultures, ensuring that meaning, context, and intent are fully understood on both sides of the conversation.

Culturally competent interpreters recognize that communication styles, expectations, and ways of expressing concerns can vary widely between communities. By understanding these differences, interpreters help prevent misunderstandings, support respectful dialogue, and create an environment where individuals feel comfortable asking questions and participating in decisions.

Concrete example – diabetes and traditional foods:
During a diabetes consultation, a patient mentions a traditional breakfast dish. The interpreter, familiar with the dish and its ingredients, conveys this information to the doctor, ensuring everyone has a shared understanding of the patient’s dietary habits.

Expertise You Can Trust

Professional interpretation requires more than bilingual ability. It requires training, subject knowledge, and a commitment to accuracy.

Certified and Experienced Professionals
Interpreters are selected based on national certifications and demonstrated experience in complex environments such as healthcare and technical settings.

Careful Assignment Matching
Rather than sending the first available interpreter, assignments are matched to professionals who are familiar with the terminology and pace of the specific meeting or appointment.

Ongoing Quality Standards
Regular evaluations help maintain the professionalism and reliability organizations depend on when communication truly matters.

A Reliable and Simple Process

Organizations often value not only interpreter quality but also the ease of scheduling support. A streamlined process helps ensure that communication needs are met quickly and consistently.

Straightforward Scheduling
Requests can be submitted easily, allowing appointments and meetings to be coordinated efficiently.

Flexible Service Options
Interpreting can be provided either on-site or through remote platforms depending on the needs of the organization.

Responsive Support
When situations arise that require quick coordination, fast-turnaround requests can often be accommodated.

Supporting Diverse Communities

While Spanish played a central role in the pilot project, language needs across California extend far beyond a single community. Organizations frequently require support in many languages to serve their patients, clients, and community members effectively.

Providing access to qualified interpreters across a broad range of languages helps ensure that everyone can fully understand important information and participate in meaningful conversations.

Where Professional Interpretation Makes a Difference

Accurate communication is essential whenever important information must be clearly understood. Professional interpreters frequently support organizations in situations such as:

• Healthcare appointments and consultations
• Public service programs and community outreach
• Workplace safety training sessions and orientations
• Technical briefings and informational sessions

Clear Communication Leads to Better Outcomes

The results of the Medical Interpreter Pilot Project reinforce a simple but powerful idea: when communication barriers are removed, organizations can deliver better services and communities’ benefit.

Professional interpreters play a vital role in making that possible and ensuring that every conversation is understood clearly, accurately, and with confidence.

Our interpreters supported clinics serving patients with limited English proficiency through this initiative, led by the California Department of Health Care Services under SB 165 (Atkins, 2019, Chapter 365).

Key Outcomes from UC Berkeley Evaluation

The MIPP was independently evaluated by the University of California, Berkeley, which documented several outcomes at the clinics we supported:

• Patient & Clinician Satisfaction: 9.8/10
• Follow-Up Visits: Significant increase among patients
• Preventive Care Engagement: Greater participation and compliance

Why Monterey Language Services Stands Out

Exceptional Satisfaction

• 442 surveys collected (63% response rate)
• Contra Costa pilot sites supported by our team received highest satisfaction ratings

Measurable Quality-of-Care Improvements

• Colorectal cancer screening: +15.8%
• Tobacco use screening: +22%
• BMI/obesity & depression follow-ups: +11%

Operational Benefits for Clinics

• Improved patient understanding of diagnoses and treatment plans
• Stronger patient-clinician trust
• Increased follow-up visits and preventive care engagement
• Freed staff from ad-hoc interpretation, streamlining workflow

Real-World Impact Example

A patient with diabetes struggled to manage their condition. Our interpreter identified a dietary factor affecting their health, allowing the clinician to give targeted guidance—resulting in improved patient outcomes.

Acknowledgements

We sincerely thank our project manager and the dedicated team of medical interpreters whose expertise and commitment made the Contra Costa pilot a success. Their work ensures that patients are heard, understood, and empowered, directly improving healthcare outcomes.

We also extend gratitude to the California Department of Health Care Services for guiding the pilot. Monterey Language Services is proud to be a key partner in this transformative effort.

Key Takeaways

Monterey Language Services interpreters do more than translate — they:

• Improve patient care and understanding
• Foster trust between patients and providers
• Support clinical workflow and efficiency

We are proud to partner with California clinics and the Department of Health Care Services to ensure equitable, high-quality care for patients with limited English proficiency.

Inspired by a legendary Chinese New Year monster story, this holiday season reminds us that it is celebration – not fear – that drives the beast away.

Long ago, a fearsome monster called Nian came out every New Year’s Eve to terrorize villagers—eating crops, livestock, and sometimes people.

The villagers eventually learned Nian was afraid of loud noises, fire, and the color red, so they used these to drive it away.

These practices—firecrackers, red decorations, loud celebration—evolved into the joyful traditions we celebrate today.

https://youtu.be/ERvOyy4P1M8

May the season cleanse the past and guide us toward warmth and new adventures.

May your 2026 be delightful, beautiful, and harmonious. Happy New Year from all of us at Monterey Language Services!!!

The untold stories of medical interpreters: 

As a provider of medical interpretation, Monterey Language Services launched an initiative series to explore emotional and professional challenges that medical interpreters face. Please see our previous introduction to the series here.

How Was Everything Started and Created?

We reached out to quite a lot of CCHI certified medical interpreters who we admire. Even though not surprisingly the dedicated interpreters graciously shared their most heartfelt stories, we were amazed by how insightful and emotional depth issues were brought to us. We are genuinely moved by the stories.

In each video below, we picked some of the most awesome quotes (see description below) that blew us away. We believe this series is something sincere and original that comes straight from the deep down of the dedicated medical interpreters.

These videos are worth sharing. They are designed to raise awareness and appreciation of the essential elements that medical interpreters face every day. Please feel welcome to share them with your circles of networks.

The Series Will Be On-going

We feel that medical interpretation involves so many elements and there is always a heavy emotional toll that stays with us. To vent and to share is something meaningful and powerful to make us a better medical interpreter.

If you have stories to tell, please continue to share them with us and we will write original scripts and create videos to share with everyone!

Why We Created This Series

The idea behind this project was to honor the dedication, emotional strength, and cultural intelligence of medical interpreters. This series is not a textbook style of what a medical interpreter is all about. We wanted to share the professional and emotional stories that most people don’t often hear about.

Imagine standing in a room, listening to a doctor deliver life-altering news – a cancer diagnosis, a difficult prognosis, or the devastating reality of a loved one’s passing. This is the reality for medical interpreters. We are constantly exposed to human suffering, fear, and grief.

The video series dives deep into these less-talked-about challenges. You’ll hear directly from interpreters as we share our most poignant, sometimes frustrating, and even heartwarming experiences. You’ll gain a new appreciation for the incredible skill, empathy, and resilience required to do this vital work as medical interpreters!

The Video Series Includes:

1. Medical Interpreters Are Unsung Heroes
   Interpreters are the fragile bridge between fear and clarity; science and the human heart.
   https://youtu.be/F96UhMM4dxo
2. Vicarious Trauma
   An interpreter needs to explain to their family in their own language that their loved one’s neck CT scan showed a tumor, and the airway’s become compressed, making the need for a tracheostomy immediately necessary.
   https://youtu.be/mtEv8NEShZU
3. Emotional Roles
   A medical appointment isn’t just about tests or results; it’s about emotions.
   https://youtu.be/uwEd-QuWeLU
4. Cultural Bridges
   In the Middle East, never tell a patient bad news directly. They will call you cruel, ruthless, and culturally insensitive!
   https://youtu.be/9vBcyzMpjic
5. Body Language
   It’s not just about translating the words; it’s about reading the room!
   https://youtu.be/CoDmBd9HtRs
6. Palliative Care
   It’s like someone dimmed the harsh fluorescent lights and made space for us to breathe.
   https://youtu.be/IrC6b0WFzEU
7. Mastering Patience
   Everyone has a story and understanding is the key!
   https://youtu.be/GNaUkZc4EKY
8. Subconscious Vicarious Trauma
   Let’s talk about something that most interpreters don’t get trained for!
   https://youtu.be/ItqtznXgNRo
9. Not Knowing
   Peace doesn’t always come from knowing. Sometimes, it comes from letting go.
   https://youtu.be/-1gIPcH1GsQ
10. Interpreting Grief
    The most powerful thing to do is to feel. When you honor your emotions, you are more equipped to serve others.
    Link: https://youtu.be/BoEcPFVeEnY
11. On Interpreting Life and Death
    In knowing death, I honor life as a medical interpreter.
    Link: https://youtu.be/Tgw6bgKtqEg
12. Small Kindness
    If we fully accept that life is short, what can we do differently?
    Link: https://youtu.be/XPBTiwBPOqU

We’re looking for imaginative stories, scenarios that push the boundaries of reality and delve into the truly extraordinary. Think beyond the everyday, beyond the predictable. We want to see the future as you dream it, unbound by limitations.

We are planning to generate AI videos like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7zpyToo_Ls

The above video is a generated video based off the prompt “the creation of the world.” Now, we are looking for a series of stories about the future.

Examples:

• A city floating among the clouds, powered by stardust.
• A world where emotions are tangible, traded like currency.
• A journey into the heart of a sentient AI, exploring its dreams.
• A 2025 child travels into a school in the future and is apprehensive of what is about to happen.

We’re open to any topic, as long as it’s brimming with imagination and takes us beyond the realm of the ordinary.

Your Mission:

• Craft a captivating short story, if chosen, then work with us to generate a video
• Let your imagination soar and create a future that is truly unique.
• Focus on scenarios that are “beyond realistic.”

The Reward:

• The selected stories will receive $250 each and the opportunity to be brought to life through AI filmmaking.

Submission:

• Format: Short Story (Word document) or Video (3 minutes maximum)
• How to Submit: Email your submission to mei-ling@montereylanguages.com with the subject line “Future Story‘’ Please include your name and contact information in the email.

Somewhere out there, if this video reaches someone in the world, and it touches their heart with hope and relief, if that happens, then that is worth all our effort made for this video!

After Thanksgiving, we spent quite some time working on this video. There was a lot of thinking involved in order to make the video exactly the way that we wanted it to be: hopeful and gentle in the new year!

The video has 6 slides, but it can be considered to be 2 parts. The first part with 3 slides is the reflection of our thoughts about changes, challenges, and how to face them. Our answers came out to be to embrace them, to seek the best of the situation, and to tackle them with a comfortable pace.

The second set of another 3 slides is about taking action. The music stops after the first 3 slides and plays again at the 4th. Everything is awakened. It’s about how tomorrow will be better, and the new year will be full of hope, joy, and success.

The pictures of nature are taken from our surroundings. They’ve touched our hearts and serve as inspirations that will guide us along the new year. These simple and soft pictures indicate what we foresee 2025 to be like, and sets the path for the next year.

The first photo: Light is cast on the mountain top and turns the mountain top from green to golden, which signifies magnificent opportunities to come.

The second photo: It’s an image that coincides with the idea of us taking a comfortable stroll into the new year.

The third photo: The text is displayed between clouds, which embraces the message of changes. A rainbow is also a great symbol stretching towards a bright future.

The fourth photo: This is a picture of dawn taken by us, which is filled with hope and beauty.

The music is relaxing, calming, and reflective, which matches our theme perfectly. Every slide is on the beat and not too strong. The music stops at the end of the first set and starts again distinguishes this year from next year.

The video is a collective expression of Monterey Language Services. Through our expression, we hope to make connections with those who come pass our path. We wish everyone a wonderful and successful 2025 and it is filled with optimism and opportunities for growth.

We also have a traditional and simplified Chinese version, which is very convenient for people to greet each other in the new year with positive, uplifting messages.

Following the celebration sound at the end slide, we open the door to the new year! Happy Holidays, Happy 2025, and Happy New Year!

The making of our Thanksgiving video was a journey that reminded us of the unique value human creativity brings to our work.

In a world where AI tools are rapidly evolving, we see AI not as competition but as an opportunity to reflect on the qualities that set us apart.

Our process—rooted in collaboration, thoughtfulness, and emotional nuance—is a testament to the irreplaceable role of the human touch in crafting meaningful connections.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, we decided to create a heartfelt greeting video to thank everyone—our clients, coworkers, and friends. Through our combined team efforts, we were able to make a video that sets us apart from AI. Here’s our process on how we made this year’s video special.

We gathered photos of our team members in action—focused, collaborating, and working wisely. These images were the perfect way to showcase the dedication and effort we put into every project. Each picture highlighted a different aspect of our work, whether in the office, in meetings, or working remotely.

We also gathered photos of our team celebrating Thanksgiving together. Whether we were sharing a toast, giving thanks, or simply enjoying each other’s company. These images added a joyful, festival touch to the video. It was important for us to show not only our professional side but also the warmth we share as a team.

To step it up a notch, we reached out to Layla and asked her to write a poem that would capture the team, dedication, and the spirit of Thanksgiving. Layla’s words were both thoughtful and inspiring. The poem beautifully expressed our gratitude and teamwork.

In praise of work partners

Integrity, merit, jubilation
Honorably, you display

Collaborative endeavors and dynamic talents
Significant affiliation creates

Vigorous diligence and wise resolutions
Remarkable admiration cultivates

Our heartfelt gratitude we proclaim to you
A bountiful Thanksgiving we wish for you

We carefully selected the best visuals to match each part of the poem, ensuring the transitions felt seamless and natural. We also added more Thanksgiving elements to make the video warmer and more festive.  We show Layla’s poem in its entirety at the end, but have stanzas of her poem alternate with our wishes and pictures of our staff. The result is a very interesting video that will make the viewer feel the warm greetings from Monterey Language Services while making sure that our thanks are conveyed.

One important thing we did in this video was feature our clients. It’s important to show that we’re all more than just a faceless company, but a team of people who are all working toward a common goal. It helps to show harmony, joy, and peace. This is something that we did last year as well, and something that we will continue to do each year.

We made sure that the transitions were consistent across the entire video and had a method where we would have the text fly in, and then when the next slide had pictures, we’d do a door opening effect. The door opening effect was used for all the pictures, but for text-to-text transitions, we had a slide effect. This was all very intentionally engineered to make a very smooth and comforting feel for the viewer as they watched the video.

From start to finish, we made sure every element of the video reflected the gratitude we feel for our clients, coworkers, and friends. It’s not just about the work we do; it’s about the connections we build and the community we’re part of.

Once completed, we were proud to share the final product—a video that not only conveyed our thanks but also celebrated teamwork, dedication, and joy. It was a reminder that the work we do is about more than just business; it’s about the people we collaborate with, and the relationships we build along the way. It has truly been a joy to work with all our clients and we look forward to our continued collaboration!

When people ask us if Chat GPT or AI is a threat to us, we will proudly answer no. We take a higher road that involves beauty, nuances, and uniqueness that only humans work together as a team can create!  AI produced work is plain and predictable. In our opinion, AI in fact has a long way to go in the language industry!

The debate over the effectiveness of artificial intelligence (AI) vs. human capabilities is more relevant than ever. While it’s easy to fall into the trap of viewing them as rivals, the real question is how the two can work together to be more effective. A recent conversation inside Monterey Language Service highlighted this future trend, revealing the crucial role that human expertise plays in AI development.

Humans can make AI better

In copy editing, AI can analyze text for grammatical errors, and even adjust tone and style based on the context. However, as Gary pointed out, AI may handle at best 80-90% of the editing process, but the last step often requires a human touch: flexible, context-aware, and capable of grasping nuances that AI might overlook.

Mei-Ling, on the other hand, argued that the focus should be not on the limitations of AI copy editing but on celebrating its rapid development and the role humans can play in enhancing AI capabilities.

The Path Forward: Enhancing AI with Human Expertise

Mei-Ling emphasized the idea that humans can make AI even better by providing it with high-quality training data. This is an important insight: the future of AI doesn’t lie solely in its inherent capabilities but in its integration with humans.

While refining AI’s editing capabilities, we need to provide it with a variety of professional materials to cut its teeth on. There are several ways that humans can do this, and it all begins with giving AI high quality writing to train on.

But what specific steps should be taken to move forward? There are many things we can do including, but not limited to the following:

• Clearly sharing context information with AI concerning the relevant conversation or the audience
• Exposing AI to detailed examples of human conversation, including informal language, idioms, and regional dialects
• Training AI to recognize and respond to emotional cues
• Sharing cultural nuances and social norms
• Guiding AI to better understand references and humor
• To model turn-taking and back-and-forth dialogue to AI
• Helping AI understand the tone, rhythm and flow of human conversation
• Feeding high quality content to AI
• Providing feedback on how the AI’s responses come across

By combining these approaches, professional linguists can play a vital role in shaping AI. More than ever, we as human translators and interpreters have a lot of work to do, particularly in connection with individual creativity and uniqueness.

Our Previous Blogs about AI

Monterey Language Services has constantly kept an eye on AI development. Our blog series since August of 2023 has been aimed at showing how the synergy of human creativity can elevate AI performance.

Check out our previous blogs about AI:

Professional Copyediting after Content Creation: Staying ahead of the AI curve

Blue and White Porcelain: The Joy of Translation from Behind the Scenes

A Love Letter to Chinese Culture — Blue and White Porcelain Lyrics

Advice to Future Interpreters

Interpreters and Music: Translation Accuracy

Interpreters and Voices: On Human Aura

Interpreters and Voices: On Human Recording

AI Performing Music: On Human Individuality

Diversity and Richness: Interpreters and Music

Thoughts about AI: Interpreters and Music

AI and Translation

These blogs discuss AI’s capabilities, how we have worked with it and what our expectations are.

“AI is able to follow patterns to come up with solutions that others may have thought of and implemented before, but without managing to achieve such originality on their own. Is it possible for AI to progress towards greater individuality and uniqueness?” ( AI Performing Music: On Human Individuality)

“AI is capable, but then can AI interpret our tones, our feelings, our energy, our life, our passion, our emotions, and our sense of mission that professional interpreters have shared?” ( Thoughts about AI: Interpreters and Music)

 Conclusion

Rather than debating whether humans or AI did better in copy editing, the blog is intended to celebrate the collaborative efforts that can make AI development and human creativity progress together. Ultimately, it’s essential to value partnership over competition. The future of copy editing will depend on our ability to combine human expertise with artificial intelligence to create something truly remarkable.