Unlock Japan

INTERPRETING
“I had the pleasure of working with Melanie on the visit of high-profile Japanese author Toshikazu Kawaguchi to Auckland Writers Festival Waituhi o Tāmaki. She provided excellent on-stage interpretation of Mr Kawaguchi’s two public events (to crowds of 100-420) as well as being a helpful companion to the author backstage and some wraparound pastoral care in his visit to the city. Melanie was easy to communicate with, diligent and reliable throughout the experience and helped create very smooth events, as well as a hugely positive visiting experience to our guest. I would happily work with Melanie again, and would recommend her highly to others. ”

— LYNDSEY FINERAN, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, AUCKLAND WRITERS FESTIVAL WAITUHI O TĀMAKI (NEW ZEALAND)

INTERPRETING
“Melanie and I worked together for the Auckland Writers Festival in May 2024. She was hired as an interpreter for the best selling Japanese author Toshikazu Kawaguchi.
Melanie is a conscientious professional who agreed to meet with me before the live event and run through how she would approach working in this specific context. She did the same with our esteemed guest. When it came to working together on the day, we all melded dynamically on stage.
Melanie is a highly skilled interpreter and both Toshikazu and his publishing team were happy with her efforts. She’s positive, observant, thoughtful and punctual. I welcome working with her again! ”
— MAGGIE TWEEDIE, RNZ BROADCASTER & JOURNALIST (NEW ZEALAND)

INTERPRETING
“Melanie was simultaneous interpreting for an hour-long public lecture at the University of Auckland by a high-profile Japanese architect. There were only a few minutes for preparation with the speaker, and the lecture included a great deal of tricky technical detail. Melanie did a fantastic job! Her interpreting was smooth, easy to follow, and an amazingly clear rendition of the often esoteric ideas the architect was presenting. I’d love to work with her again.”

— ANDREW BARRIE, PROFESSOR, THE UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND (NEW ZEALAND)

INTERPRETING
“Melanie's interpretation for us on-stage to an audience of 1,200 was excellent and she was enthusiastic in learning about unfamiliar topics in the creative field to prepare. Beyond that she played an invaluable part in hosting high-profile Japanese guests and making them feel looked-after. Melanie responded to sudden and unexpected requests throughout the multi-day conference with incredible professionalism and was always willing to go above and beyond to help us put on a great event.”

— JANSON CHAU, DESIGN DIRECTOR, ALT GROUP (NEW ZEALAND)

INTERPRETING
“Melanie's exceptional work as an interpreter has been truly remarkable. Her ability to seamlessly bridge the language barrier and facilitate effective communication has been invaluable to our organization. With her expertise in Japanese language and culture, Melanie has consistently ensured smooth interactions during meetings, conferences, and important negotiations. Her quick thinking, linguistic finesse, and professionalism have left a lasting impression on both our team and clients. Melanie's contributions have undoubtedly enhanced our global collaborations and business ventures. We enthusiastically endorse Melanie as an outstanding interpreter, and we are grateful for her vital role in our success.”

— CARTER, ASIA SALES MANAGER, TRILOGY NATURAL PRODUCTS (NEW ZEALAND)

INTERPRETING
“Melanie interpreted for me at a very fast-paced Tourism Australia virtual trade show for Japanese Tourism Agents. She was so great to work with, really went the extra mile and was able to give me some really helpful insight I would just would never have received. I would recommend her in a heartbeat and will definitely work with her again.”

— SAM HARTLEY, SALES & MARKETING MANAGER, KAKDU TOURISM (AUSTRALIA)

INTERPRETING & TRANSLATION
“Over many years, Melanie has done a wonderful job for Taikoz in interpreting at our taiko (Japanese drum) workshops and also providing excellent translation work behind the scenes. Her knowledge of taiko, combined with fabulous language skills makes Melanie quite unique in the world of taiko.
What can I say... Melanie is the best in the business!”

— IAN CLEWORTH, MUSICIAN, TAIKOZ (AUSTRALIA)

INTERPRETING
“We had Melanie interpreted our taiko workshops for us and her expertise really made the whole experience much more enjoyable. The pace was really fluent and she really captured the essence of what the our special guests were trying to share - the interpretation was clear and true to its meaning. Thank you very much Melanie!”

—JANE CHEN, TEACHER, KUMO TAIKO (NEW ZEALAND)

TRANSLATION
“Melanie was absolutely amazing! We were in need of some last-minute translations for a visa application and not only were the translations themselves of incredibly high-quality, but Melanie was incredibly accommodating and professional throughout the whole process. Her consistent, clear and friendly communication allowed us to plan our application submission with peace of mind. I will definitely be calling on South Paw Translation again in the future and would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone!”

—JESS HALLAMS, RESEARCH ASSISTANT, EMBASSY OF JAPAN IN AUSTRALIA (AUSTRALIA)

TRANSLATION & INTERPRETING
“Working with Melanie is always speedy and accurate. She responds very quickly, works in a very organized manner, and I cannot think of anyone else who can give Japanese words a better meaning in English. Her vocabulary is colorful, and easy to understand.”

—YUI KAMIYA, PERFORMING ARTS COORDINATOR (JAPAN)

JAPANESE COMMUNICATION COACHING
“Across time zones and with an extremely tight schedule, I took intensive Japanese interview preparation lessons with Melanie-sensei. Her preparation advice, vocabulary knowledge and study skills support gave me confidence and lifted me on towards the goal. Always positive, and with energy and enthusiasm, her approach essentially meant success in that interview! So glad I had help from Melanie-sensei!”

— TARA MC, UNIVERSITY TEACHER (JAPAN/UK)

JAPANESE COMMUNICATION COACHING
“Melanie's personalized instruction and professional, customized coaching in Japanese interviewing skills addressed all the crucial issues; vocabulary, tenor, and yes, the jitters. She is on top of the cross-cultural challenges as well as the linguistic, and her advice, invaluable. Thanks to her intensive one-to-one teaching and to the resources and strategies she shared, I could practice more effectively and truly level-up my performance and communication skills.”

—ANNA, UNIVERSITY TEACHER (JAPAN/US)

JAPANESE COMMUNICATION COACHING
“Picking the correct teacher is always a difficult matter. As a learner of Japanese, I always wondered if I should learn speaking from a native Japanese speaker or someone who has an abundance of experience learning the language. Out of a coincidental encounter, I met with Melanie and immediately felt that she would be the correct teacher for me. She is extremely patient, but will also speak honestly about speaking mannerisms which can be improved. She has provided me with valuable methods and teachings which became a key factor to how I succeeded in getting hired in Japan. If you're willing to put in the work, she will help your language (and perhaps even career) grow in ways you never expected.”

— YANNICK LYN, COORDINATOR OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, JET PROGRAMME (CANADA/JAPAN)