A Word from the Founder
Hi, I’m Olia.
I’m originally from Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine, and for the past fifteen years, education has taken me across Ukraine, China, Hungary, and now the United Kingdom.
Today, much of my work focuses on teaching Ukrainian to professionals who work with Ukraine, including journalists, researchers, lawyers, translators, and British diplomats preparing for assignments in the country.
Over the years, I’ve realised that while grammar and vocabulary are important, they are not what truly helps people understand a language.
The most important thing is conversation.
It is through conversation that we discover how people think, what they care about, how they see the world, and what matters in their society. Language is not simply a collection of words and rules; it is a gateway to culture, relationships, and understanding.
This observation inspired me to create Besida.
I know many professionals who travel to Ukraine, work in Ukraine, or work on Ukraine-related issues. They often need more than textbooks and vocabulary lists. They need access to authentic language, real conversations, professional perspectives, and a deeper understanding of the country and the people they engage with.
Besida was created to meet that need.
Through interviews with Ukrainian professionals, authentic conversations, cultural insights, and learning materials built around real-world topics, Besida helps learners engage with Ukrainian as it is actually spoken and used in professional contexts.
Whether your work brings you to Ukraine physically or professionally, I hope Besida helps you build a stronger connection with the language, the culture, and the people behind it.
Welcome to the conversation. Welcome to Besida.
Olia Lupuliak,
Besida Founder
Our Team
Hi, I'm Iryna.
I have been teaching Ukrainian as a foreign language for more than twenty years. During this time, I have worked with diplomats, journalists, military personnel, business professionals, researchers, and staff of international organisations. Most of my students need Ukrainian not only for everyday communication but also for their professional work.
I hold a PhD in Ukrainian Language. My main interest is creating practical materials that help learners understand how Ukrainian is really used today. I like taking authentic texts, interviews, and current events and turning them into lessons that develop both language skills and cultural understanding.
For me, learning a language is never just about memorising rules. It is about understanding people, the way they think, and the society they live in. That is why I prefer to work with authentic materials whenever possible.
I am glad to contribute to Besida. I hope these materials will help learners feel more confident using Ukrainian in real-life situations.