I can’t believe how behind I am with this podcast episode recap! It has been nearly four weeks since our eighth episode went out and in that time I don’t think I’ve had a spare moment to really reflect on our August podcast. Luckily, I managed to find some spare moments today to put into writing some things that have come to mind.

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It is an odd coincidence that in the same month that Jeremy and I discussed heritage sites, that the National Trust in the United Kingdom should come under fire from the press. I’ve written about it in more detail professionally but for those who want a Reader’s Digest version of events, the national Trust has been involved in a year-long project called Prejudice & Pride to mark the 50th anniversary since the partial decriminalisation of male homosexuality in Britain. They have been exploring LGBTQ stories at a number of their properties through various means including programmes, exhibitions, films, and a podcast. I’ve been lucky enough to do a small amount of evaluation on the project and I must admit my heart broke when the press began to cover the project negatively.

One of the things I really wanted to emphasise in the podcast was the importance of heritage sites in address the “whole” story of life in the past. As is the case with many heritage organisations and sites, it is often the story of the wealthy white elite that gets most of the focus. It is incredibly exciting when an organisation as well-known and with the reach of the National Trust makes an effort to tell more nuanced, fuller stories of the past. I do hope that despite the negative press coverage, the National Trust will continue to look for opportunities to do so in the future.

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I was delighted to get a chance to interview Cathy this month. One of the strange things about living in abroad and in a world with social media is that sometimes you become friends with people you haven’t actually met in real life. Cathy is one of those people. We became Facebook friends through mutual acquaintances and pretty soon realised we had a lot in common. My interview with her, is the first time we actually got a chance to speak and see one another properly! What is even more remarkable is how easy it was to chat. For one thing, Cathy’s exuberance is infectious and it makes you really engage with what she’s saying. (I have to imagine she’s a really fantastic teacher for this reason.) I absolutely loved hearing all of her stories about her travels. I really hope you did as well.

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I think the best Word of the Months (Words of the Month? Words of the Months?) are the ones which catch Jeremy and I by surprise in our conversations. August’s word, or rather phrase, was one of those kinds. It came up randomly in conversation and made both of us laugh. It’s a reminder that even though we’ve known each other for a while and I’ve lived in the UK for going on four years, we still have some language barriers to overcome.