First time Edinburgh felt like home

Welcome to the fifth episode of Ekasi Podcast’s debut season. In this episode, our hosts - Julian Mashingaidze and Geofrey Njovu - have an insightful conversation on what the seemingly simple word of home means to Professor Peter Mathieson who is the Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh and Johanna Holtan who is the Program Director of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of Edinburgh.

Professor Peter Mathieson and Johanna Holtan both had childhoods that involved them moving around due to their fathers’ professions. These movements to different places continued even in their adulthood for various reasons including career opportunities, family and friends. Most of us have lived in one, two or at most three different places and can easily refer to one particular place as home. But in this discussion, with guests who have been on the move most of their lives, the concept of what home really means is taken to a deeper and broader level.

When you think of home, what comes to your mind? Is it a place? Is it the people in the place? Is it the geography of the place? Is it the feelings associated with the place? Is it a combination of factors? What really is home to you? These are concepts that were dissected by our honourable guests and adept hosts to such an extent that ultimately, one will realise that the number of places you have lived does not matter as one can still have a home regardless of where they are in the world and can still be happy and successful. Now, does this not make you want to know the exact composition of what home really is for the University of Edinburgh’s Principal and Vice-Chancellor ,Professor Mathieson, and Mastercard Scholars Program Director, Johanna Holtan? To get all these questions answered and that curiosity satisfied, tune in and listen to 'when Edinburgh first felt like home' for our highly esteemed guests. 

Edited by Geofrey Njovu

Soundtrack by Ifeanyichukwu Ezinmadu