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Happy New Year to everyone from Monterey Language Services! We wish you all the greatest in the coming year – Good Health, Happiness, and Success!
May all the challenges and adventures you tackle give you knowledge and wisdom for the next ones! Please join us in greeting the year 2023 wholeheartedly with all our colleagues, friends, and loved ones! Happy New Year!
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)Loading...Happy holidays from Monterey Language Services! Time flies, we have found ourselves in the holiday season again! This year we would like to shine a light on holidays that take place in December. Let us know in the comments about any others you know about.
A major holiday in the US and the world is Christmas, where Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ by giving gifts to friends and family members. It is a great time to remember what to be thankful for, repaying gifts, and giving kindness to others. Being such a significant holiday, December is often filled with Christmas imagery like trees, sparkling ornaments, and songs that fill malls, supermarkets, and radio stations.
Also written as Hannukah or Chanukah, this holiday celebrates the famous story about how, during a days-long fight against Syrian Greeks, candles continued to burn for eight nights rather than just one as was expected. Subsequently, Jerusalem was recovered by the Jewish, and the Second Temple was rededicated to the Jewish people. The significance of the holiday symbolizing resistance and religious freedom cannot be overstated.
Hanukah is observed by lighting the candles. On each of the holiday’s eight nights, one additional candle is lit by the ninth candle, called shamash (“helper” or “attendant”), until all eight candles are lit together on the final night of the celebration. Hanukah has attained major cultural significance in North America and elsewhere, due to often occurring around the same time as Christmas.
Like Hannukah, imagery around Kwanzaa also includes candles, one of which is black, three are red, and three are green. The black one, which represents the African people, is used to light the others; red represents the struggle that Blacks have gone through, and the green represents hope and future.
Kwanzaa is actually a newer holiday that began in 1966, created by Dr. Maulana Karenga after the Watts riots in Los Angeles. The holiday celebrates Black heritage and lasts for seven days, with each day highlighting a different principle: Unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith.
Spanish for “The Inns,” Las Posadas is a Christmas-adjacent holiday that is celebrated in Mexico and some other parts of Central and South America such as Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador. The holiday takes place between the 16th and 24th, and acts as a reenactment of Mary and Joseph’s journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, searching for safe lodgings for Mary to give birth to Jesus. The holiday highlights the importance of faith, prayer, and pilgrimages.
The nine days interval for this holiday represents Mary’s nine-month pregnancy. Each night, a child dressed as an angel leads others through the community, where they stop and ask for lodging. When they are refused lodging, those in the procession sing Christmas carols. At the end of every night, after the group is accepted into one of the homes or a church, mass is held, and children break a pinata that is usually shaped like a star—the one that led the wise men to Jesus’s birthplace.
December is a wonderful month of the year; people from all over the world are taking multi-cultural celebration of holidays. The holidays bond us together as a family, a community, a nation, and even a whole world. Throughout the holidays, we can feel a sense of belonging and reflect on what is important to us. At Monterey Language Services, we will continue doing what we believe in—that is, to help community communication through translation and interpretation. We are thankful for having you to make our work meaningful and enjoyable. Happy holidays from the Monterey Language Services team, we send you our warmest wishes for a wonderful holiday season!
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)Loading...Monterey Language Services is looking for Spanish medical interpreters to provide in-person interpretation services to federally funded productive health care facilities in Richmond and Antioch, CA (2 locations).
We need someone who is living or willing to relocate to either Richmond or Antioch (2 locations) in California for in-person interpretation. Part time, full time, or contract employment are available for six months with possible extension.
If you are available and meet the below requirements, could you share with us your experience, rate, and how far you are from both CA 94804 and CA 94509, so we can follow up with you? You will find our contact information at the end of this post.
If you are looking to relocate, please also let us know. Please also feel welcome to refer colleagues by sharing this post.
Requirements:
If you are interested, please go to our website and answer the questions about your medical interpreting experience and rate, so we can follow up with you.
https://www.montereylanguages.com/send-a-resume.html
Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you soon!
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)Loading...Often, we at Monterey Language Services are requested to provide interpretation for Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings concerning children’s education in school. Interpreting at these meetings often requires the interpreter to facilitate communication between parents/guardians and members of the specific child’s IEP team, such as teachers or counselors.
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.
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.
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!”
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.
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.
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)Loading...While remote interpretation was certainly not unheard of before March 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic greatly increased the frequency of these types of meetings and appointments. Modern technology has incredibly increased the quality in which we can provide interpretations.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)Loading...Since the Covid-19 pandemic began, one of the most consistently talked about topics was the vaccine. With Covid-19 so easily transmissible, it was prudent to turn to lockdowns and remote work to prevent the spread.
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.
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)Loading...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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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!
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)Loading...In a previous blog post, we discussed a brief history of major translation and interpretation events that have shaped the world of the language services industry. In today’s post, we will be looking further at our known history to see what other events closer to present day have influenced us.
It is a little-known fact among the Western world that Johannes Gutenberg was not in fact the first to create a printing press. Borrowing from wood-block printing in many Asian cultures, Korean Choe Yun-ui created the first printing press with moveable block characters in the 1200s. However, due to many factors, such as invasion into Korea and the fact that organizing the Chinese characters to print took quite a while, this printing press did not become widespread.
Gutenberg’s printing press, on the other hand, often printed works written in Latin, which is written with far, far fewer letters than there are characters in Chinese. Arranging the type pieces and going through the printing process was markedly easier than in Korea two hundred years earlier, and Gutenberg’s printing press was essential for the increase in literacy in the following century. In our last blog, we mentioned that Martin Luther’s German translation of the Bible was a major turning point in the history of translation; without the printing press, his translation would not have reached even half the people that it did.
The Rosetta Stone, first discovered in 1799, held a passage that was written three times—twice in two versions of ancient Egyptian, and once in ancient Greek. The passage, written in 196 BC, was key to deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphics, despite so much of the Rosetta Stone being broken and incomplete.
The infamous Nuremberg Trials were held to take Nazis to court and to try them for war crimes that took place during World War II. Remarkably, the trials only took ten months to complete, despite the need to translate and interpret the proceedings into numerous languages. This was accomplished by implementing the world’s first simultaneous interpretation program, which likely saved years off of the Trials’ time. Simultaneous interpretation is difficult to learn the skills for, but is commonly used for conferences, such as for the United Nations.
With the advent of the internet, the world became even more global than ever. While learning languages and speaking or writing to a language partner regardless of distance was possible with phone calls and letters, the internet sped up those processes to be nearly immediate.
With this, however, came increasing demands for translation and interpretation for global businesses. Translators and interpreters now had to learn how to not only navigate linguistic landscapes, but also digital ones.
Very recently in the history of translation and interpretation has been the rise in machine translation. Essentially, putting one string from language A into a machine, which would produce that string in language B. This method vastly improves the speed at which translators can do their jobs, but as machines can’t understand language in the way that humans do, translators and proofreaders are necessary to ensure that the final product doesn’t sound unnatural.
While looking back at history, we also look towards the future. In the past, human history has had lots of events that have influenced today’s translators and interpreters. Many events even had an impact on the world as a whole, such as the printing press and the internet. In the future, there will only be even more AI inventions and events that will shape the translation and interpretation sphere. However, one thing we have seen clearly is that language has been highly varied and shaped by human thought and action; in that vein, we in the translation and interpretation industry are still far, far away from being replaced by machines or robots.
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)Loading...Just this week, the White House revealed a preview of their student loan forgiveness application form. They also stated that the application form will be published in both English and Spanish, designed around people with disabilities.
Applicants will not need to log in with a federal student aid ID, nor upload any documents, but they will have to accurately and honestly provide information about their monetary earnings. Depending on their income and whether or not they received a Pell Grant during their college career (a grant being money awarded to students that does not need to be paid back, unlike a loan), applicants can be eligible to receive up to $10,000 or $20,000 in debt relief forgiveness.
Since the pandemic began, student loan payments have been frozen in an effort to provide some kind of relief for those in debt. The application form is not live yet, but is expected to release sometime in October; federal officials have suggested that many should file the form by November 15th in order to apply the debt cancellation to their current balances, although applications will continue until the end of 2023. If an applicant has $20,000 or lower left on their balance, they may be able to completely wipe out their remaining debt before the federal pause on loan payments ends on December 31st of this year.
Already, there has been much debate over whether Biden has the authority to do this, and whether states would lose out on the money to be had by being repaid. Others have said that the plan benefits people of color more than others, which would violate the constitution’s right to equal protection of the laws—although cases like this were dismissed on the basis of having no standing.
According to NPR, loan forgiveness would raise the standard of living for millions, if not tens of millions, of people—although the subsequent increase in spending might increase inflation. Some also call the forgiveness unfair to those who saved and worked through college, or those who have managed to pay off their debt; on the other hand, there are many individuals who feel that their own suffering through debt should not mean that others have to suffer through debt as well.
How do you feel about debt forgiveness? Please let us know by leaving a comment down below.
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)Loading...Markets Insider recently published this article about how the US might be heading into a major recession.
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?
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?
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