Reflections…

A week rarely goes by without me recommending an episode of Radio 4’s Desert island Disks to someone — a friend, a parent at the school gates, my husband, even my hairdresser. There’s something about the connection through music, and the magic of the presenter (currently the brilliant Lauren Laverne) that sparks conversations which stay with me long after I’ve finished listening. There are several episodes that I return to on long train journeys, my favourites being, Ian Wright (makes me cry every time), Kate Winslet, Marina Abramović, Michael Caine, Anthony Joshua, Ronnie O'Sullivan — and especially Romesh Ranganathan.

Yesterday I listened to Romesh’s episode for the fourth time. Each time I focus in on something different. This time, what really stayed with me were the stories about his parents moving from Sri Lanka to the UK in the 1970s, and his reflections on growing up as the child of migrants. It reminded me how powerful it is to hear people’s origin stories — not just where they’re from geographically, but the cultural influences, expectations, tensions and humour that shape them.

That’s what intercultural awareness really is. It’s curiosity. It’s listening. It’s understanding that everyone is carrying histories and contexts we can’t see at first glance. And when we take time to understand that — whether through a podcast, a conversation at the school gates, or in the workplace — we work better together. https://lnkd.in/e--tyGKB