Iryna Kovalchuk, preceptor of Polish language at the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures, together with Hoa Le, senior preceptor in Vietnamese at the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations, received the Elson Family Arts Initiative Fund grant in 2023.

Iryna always tries to introduce as many opportunities as possible for students to dive into Polish culture in her courses. She is keen to develop an even more innovative syllabus with diverse cultural materials and experiences, both Polish and intercultural. That’s how the idea to invite a Polish-Vietnamese illustrator appeared – to learn the language, to learn about other cultures, to make art, and to have fun.

The Vietnamese community is one of the largest immigrant communities in Poland (you can read more about it here). So it is important for students of both Polish and Vietnamese to learn how the two communities enrich each other, what challenges they face, and what the future of these relations might be.

Hoa and Iryna invited Basia Tran, a children’s book illustrator of Polish and Vietnamese descent, to take part in the project. She graduated with a BFA with honors in Illustration from Ringling College of Art & Design, Sarasota, FL. She used to live in Poland and now lives with her husband Evan and their puppy Latke in Jersey City, NJ. With graphite and pixels, Basia weaves intricate details of wonder and whimsy, hoping to share her love of lore and laughter. Merging the restraint of graphite with the boundless possibilities of digital art, she loves to explore the myriad directions these mediums can take her. A perpetual wonderer intrigued by the human experience on Earth, she often wanders the globe, visiting family, bouldering gyms, and indulging in local cuisine and teas.

In Basia’s lecture “East Meets East and…Moves West” (October 31, Tuesday, at 1:30-2:30pm at the Language Center), she will talk about her Polish, Vietnamese, and American experience, about her path to illustration, the multicultural tools she uses, and the challenges she encounters – both in everyday life and during the process of creation.

The next day, November 1, Basia will give two poem-illustrating workshops. Iryna often uses the works of great Polish children’s writers as illustration material to support language learning and introduce students to Polish literature and Polish cultural realities. Some famous children’s poems offer a basic introduction to proverbs or idioms. Several generations of Poles grew up reading them, so it is very important for foreigners to learn them early. Learners of Polish language will illustrate the poem “Locomotive” by Julian Tuwim. Similarly, Vietnamese poems such as “ Tale of Humankind” by famous poet Xuan Quynh are read and cherished by many generations of Vietnamese. y are also a great source of descriptive vocabulary, including but not limited to colors, emotion, family, and scenery. Learners can learn very important lexical and semantic structures while enjoying the poems.

Events will be accompanied by presentations of Polish and Vietnamese snacks and are open to learners of Polish and Vietnamese only.

Hoa and Iryna hope that this lecture and workshops will introduce more diversity and creativity into both Polish language and Vietnamese language classrooms.