As part of our Global Family Celebration series, we’ve been reflecting on how traditions bring families together in meaningful ways.

After our story about Korea’s Chuseok, we turned to another cherished holiday: the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival.

Falling on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, it is a time when the moon is at its brightest and fullest — a symbol of reunion and harmony.

Across China and around the world, families gather to share seasonal foods such as taro, pomelo, and roasted duck. At the center of the table are mooncakes, their round shape representing unity and completeness.

Crafting the Script

In approaching this story, we wanted to capture more than a holiday meal. This idea of the moon as both symbol and messenger inspired us.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is also a festival of words and feelings. For centuries, poets have looked to the moon to express longing, gratitude, and connection. Their verses, still recited today, tie the festival to China’s deep literary tradition.

We envisioned not just a table full of food, but one with an empty chair — a reminder that families are not always physically together. How, then, do they stay connected? The story grew from that question.

A Family Across Oceans

In our narrative, Wei, the eldest son, is studying overseas. His chair is empty but not forgotten. His mother sets aside a plate for him. His younger sister opens a video call so he can join the gathering in spirit.

The family greets him with smiles, lifting their mooncakes to the screen as if toasting the moon together.

Their grandfather begins to recite Quiet Night Thought by Li Bai, a poem cherished for generations:

Before my bed, the bright moonlight,
I wonder if it’s frost on the ground.
I lift my head and gaze at the bright moon,
I lower my head and think of home.

Far away, Wei looks out his window and sees the same glowing moon. For a moment, the distance fades, and the family feels whole again.

More Than a Harvest Celebration

The Mid-Autumn Festival reminds us that love travels farther than distance. Even when families are apart, the same moon rises above every home, soft and steady.

Wei lifts his cup to the screen, and across oceans, his family lifts theirs. Together, they toast to the same moon, their laughter and love traveling across generations and continents.

The silver light carries memory, joy, and longing, turning a simple gesture into a bridge of connection. Beneath the same endless sky, hearts meet, and we are reminded that no distance can dim the ties that bind us.

Where Stories Meet

As we continue our Global Family Celebration series, we look to the rituals that remind us of this truth: that connection is always within reach. A shared meal, a familiar poem, a gaze at the same moon — these simple acts transcend borders and time.

Every culture offers its own lantern of wisdom, illuminating the universal desire to gather, to give thanks, and to feel at home in the world.

When we celebrate each other’s traditions, we discover that our stories are not separate threads, but part of a greater tapestry — woven together beneath one sky.

At Monterey Language Services, we love connecting people across cultures. This year, our Global Family Celebration series kicked off with Chuseok, the Korean Harvest Festival.

Video Link: https://youtu.be/_WsyaeLVReY 

Crafting the Script

The journey began with words on a page. We didn’t want a dry description of Chuseok — we wanted viewers to feel it: the aroma of sesame oil, the laughter in the kitchen, the quiet reverence at ancestors’ graves. After several drafts, the script found its rhythm, blending Chuseok’s rich traditions — foods, ancestor rituals, and festive customs — with the lived experience of one family.

At the heart of the story were Min-jun and his grandmother. Their moments in the kitchen — shaping sticky songpyeon, laughing at uneven dough, sharing stories across generations — became the soul of the video. Through them, cultural traditions didn’t just inform — they came alive, wrapped in warmth, presence, and the messy, joyful beauty of family life.

Reflecting on Gratitude

In Min-jun’s grandmother’s kitchen, laughter rose with the scent of sesame oil as three generations shaped songpyeon. These half-moon rice cakes are said to promise a beautiful life. But the dough sticks, the shapes collapse, and Min-jun thinks: maybe life isn’t shaped by perfection.

A mindfulness saying comes to mind: “You cannot feel true gratitude and remain frustrated at the same time.” In that messy, joyful moment, gratitude replaces frustration. The imperfect rice cakes suddenly feel perfect.

As the evening wore on, Min-jun realized the truth in his grandmother’s words: “Beautiful songpyeon, beautiful life.” He hadn’t fully believed her — until now. The rice cakes were uneven, sticky, imperfect. Yet the laughter, stories shared across generations, and the warmth of everyone together felt perfectly complete.

Finding the Right Visuals

Once the script captured the heart of Chuseok, the next challenge was bringing it to life visually. We wanted more than images — we wanted moments that felt real: sunlight streaming through a kitchen window onto sticky hands, children giggling as dough clung to their fingers, the vibrant colors of bulgogi and kimchi arranged on the table, and the quiet stillness of bowing at ancestors’ graves.

Each shot was chosen to convey both authenticity and emotion, creating a rhythm that mirrored the holiday itself. We wanted viewers not just to see Chuseok, but to experience it — to feel the warmth, the laughter, and the gratitude that fills every imperfect, beautiful moment of family life.

Blending Video with Reality

Watching the video, you might crave the flavors of Korea. We did too. Speaking with Korean restaurant owners, we heard the same lesson: Food made with care is a gift for the heart. Even if it’s not perfect, sharing it brings everyone together.

Chuseok, Thanksgiving, or any family meal — different foods, different rituals — but the same truth holds: joy lives in presence, connection, and gratitude.

Next time you taste something new — maybe a songpyeon, maybe a bowl of bulgogi — pause. Feel the moment. Laugh at the sticky fingers. Taste the care. Let gratitude replace frustration.

Because a beautiful life isn’t about perfect rice cakes. It’s about enjoying the moments we share.

Stay Tuned

Join us as we travel from one celebration to the next, uncovering the shared threads of family and gratitude — and delighting in the unique differences that make each holiday shine.

Monterey Language Services is launching a new series exploring holidays around the world, all connected by one timeless theme: family.

We’d love to hear from you! Share your ideas, stories, or even a little flight of fancy with us, and help make the Global Family Celebration series even more diverse, vibrant, and inspiring.

Email us at info@montereylanguages.com — your thoughts could shape our next celebration!

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!

We’ve been receiving a lot of great responses to our Mood Booster playlist (see previous blog post below) since it was published at Thanksgiving! One interpreter was asking if the songs had been vetted for their lyrics. What a great question? It gives us an opportunity to share the inside scoop on our mental processing of information.

When the request to our colleagues for their favorite songs went out, we knew the result was going to be a collection of music of all genres and a variety of lyrics. Instead of filtering them, we decided to present all the lyrical viewpoints in a balanced way that takes the listener on a musical journey.

Yes, you could say our translator/interpreter’s sense of loyalty and organizational skills kicked in. When arranging these songs, we were doing it in the same way that translators and interpreters arrange information: listening, organizing, and presenting it in a balanced way without leaving out information or anyone’s perspective.

The songs in the playlist create a dialog with one another, complimenting and balancing each other by offering opposite points of view. The sentiment of The Talking Heads’ “This Must Be the Place,” demonstrated by its title and lines like “home is where I want to be,” is contrasted by the singer of “Gooey,” who just needs to go where he can get some space.

The next two songs seem to be having a conversation with each other, Blue Lagoon’s singer insisting that nothing will break her stride or keep her from moving forward, and Pharrell encouraging her to do it “if you feel like that’s what you wanna do.”

Havalina comes as a brief interlude, standing alone like an island – fitting for its breezy sound that makes you almost feel the tropical surf and sun.

“Insane” and “Police On My Back” return to the previous dialogue and once again present opposing lyrical points of view. The singer of “Insane” warns the listener that following the safe, routine path you run the risk of going insane, whereas The Clash show what can happen if you stray from what’s accepted, lamenting “what have I done?” as they are forced on the run.

The Lumineers and James Vincent McMorrow continue the theme of giving both sides of the story with the next two songs. “Cleopatra” and “Get Low” tell stories of love from first a woman’s and then a man’s perspective.

The next pair again seems to echo each other, this time showing a cause and effect relationship: if you work “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger,” eventually you’ll end up in the “Hall of Fame” and the world will know your name.

“Treasure” and “Can’t Stop the Feeling” are an uplifting finale – two happy songs that provide a positive climax and make you want to move! That’s not the end, though – Van Morrison’s “Domino” actually closes the playlist out, not as an afterthought but as a perfect coda, urging the listener with its last line to start the whole playlist over and enjoy it “one more time!”

The narrators of these songs may be male at times and female at others, the lyrics may seem to oppose one another, and the mood may change now and then, that’s exactly what we wanted: to create a discourse between the songs that represents rather than marginalizes all the diverse viewpoints they express, organizing them along the way in a logical fashion. That’s what interpreters are good for!

From the team at Monterey Language Services, Happy holidays and may you have remarkable blessings in 2017!  

The Thanksgiving Day can trace its origins back to 1620, when the pilgrims from Britain settled down in Plymouth, North America. Many pilgrims died or suffered hunger due to the harsh winter conditions. Fortunately, the Native Americans reached out their hands to help and teach the pilgrims to grow crops such as corn, pumpkins, and beans. To express their gratitude, the pilgrims invited the natives to a feast the next winter. This tradition has since then become the Thanksgiving Day, in which families reunite to share a feast and reiterate their gratefulness.

Have you ever wondered how the pilgrims and the natives communicate? If you think about it, it was amazing that they were able to communicate in a relatively primitive method as there was no computer or interpretation software back in the 1600s. Compared to them, our world today is much more advanced in terms of multi-lingual communication. According to the statistics, there are about 7 billion people in the world, and about less than half of them who speak more than one language.

Never Take Things for Granted
While we enjoy the fruits and convenience brought by translation tool, it is very easy to take things for granted and overlook the quality of the translation, which can be inconsistent or even inaccurate. After all, human beings created languages and only humans can master the art of translation and interpretation. So during this holiday, we would like to pay tribute to translators, interpreters, and language professionals who, through assisting with communication, have made our world a better place.

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

Monterey Language Services strives to provide the highest quality of translation and interpretation services. Feel free to contact us for more information.