HOW IT GOT STARTED
Thoughts in Translation
In an effort to reconnect with their roots, Pichaya wanted to work on their Thai and Yuè LánYīng wanted to work on their Mandarin so we picked a popular story that is available in both languages: Le Petit Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. We meet regularly to read the story out loud in Thai and Mandarin and try to retell it in English.
พิชญา Pichaya
As a 1.5 generation Thai-Chinese American, Pichaya grew up speaking Thai and English in their household. Despite years of assimilation, however, they later studied Comparative Literature in college and felt a deep desire to connect with their heritage. They went on a summer program to study Thai intensively and realized that they had retained a lot of the reading/writing skills they learned as a 1st grader in Thailand. They returned to live and study in Thailand for their Masters and are continuing the exciting journey of uncovering their language and history.
鸑岚朠 Yuè LánYīng
Although born in China, growing up in the USA, Yuè Lányīng never enjoyed rote memorizing Chinese characters and, in fact, dropped out of Chinese school. It was not until they encountered the Chinese web comic 灵契 Líng Qì Spiritpact that they desperately wanted to read and find out what happened to the protagonists after the animated series was cancelled. In the end it is the desire to see boys kissing that will ultimately lead them to Mandarin literacy.
