In a world that is becoming ever more homogenized, what sets places apart? What are the blaring indicators that communicate we are in a place vastly different from anywhere we've ever been before? After a magical and sometimes maddening week in Bali, Katy lays out the ways the island delighted and surprised her, the aspects[...]
What's it like to be a sociopath? This week's guest tells us. On this episode, Katy sits down with author and self-described sociopath Patric Gagne for a LIVE interview with audience at Seattle's Town Hall venue, whose recent book Sociopath has been acclaimed as a "fascinating, revelatory memoir revealing the author’s struggle to come to[...]
What happens when you go back to a city you used to live in after not stepping foot there for twenty years? Tiffany finds out on this episode. After spending some of the most formative years of her life, her univeristy and post-univeristy years, in Boston, she moved to Rome and never went back. Earlier[...]
Who knew that "going native" was a topic that would resonate so strongly with our listeners? We got so much feedback on this subject—both social media comments as well as voice messages—that we just had to share them with you, and of course, open the discussion back up! So many new ideas came up hearing[...]
What happens when an expat "goes native"? How long does it take, and is it inevitable? Is it a conscious choice or does it just happen? Today we chat about this idea, and Tiffany lays out the ways she has gone native—eschewing American culture and habits entirely in favor of Italian ones—as well as the[...]
Would you move across the world to a country without ever having been there? That's what this week's guest did. We sit down with Brie Ripley to talk about her decision to take a 4-year contract with the World Food Program, which meant a relocation to Rome—a city she had never even visited. She talks[...]
An exciting discovery out of Rome has recently rocked the archeological community! We have the details on this week's episode. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us an email to get the conversation started. BECOME A PATRON: Pledge your monthly support of The Bittersweet Life and[...]
Last week we talked—among other things—about what it would be like if the year started in March, as it used to do in ancient Rome. This got us thinking about seasons and how they effect our lives. On this week's episode we talk about what we love about certain seasons, how where you live can[...]
Is early January—the deepest, bleakest, darkest moment of winter—really the best time to make New Year's Resolutions? Isn't early spring a more fortuitous time for new beginnings? (And did you know that March used to be the first month of the year?) We mull this and other season-related questions on this episode (including a check-in[...]
Today we explore a story of one woman whose family legacy—in particular her close relationship with her mother whom she lost suddenly to cancer—brought about a life pivot that she was never expecting. Kaila Merrill joins us today to tell her moving story, from growing up in tiny island town in northern Vermont to a[...]
What if travel doesn't actually change you? A few weeks ago, we discussed this controversial idea, a conversation inspired by an essay in The New Yorker. (Make sure you listen to that episode first, because we had a lot to say on the topic!) It turns out, our listeners did too, as we got a[...]
What makes a song a good road trip song? This is something Katy has been musing over for several years now. What better person to ask than a musician who has crossed the country on tour numerous times? This week, Katy sits down with musician and podcaster John Roderick to talk about the[...]
Tell me about that trip that changed your life... and I'll tell you how you're lying to yourself. So claims a recent essay in The New Yorker titled The Case Against Travel. In it, author Agnes Callard makes some pretty bold and sweeping assertions, including that travel "turns us into the worst version of ourselves[...]
What makes a life meaningful? Can a meaningful death transform an otherwise meaningless life into a meaningful one? These are just a few of the many ideas touched on in this week's episode, an interview with poet and author Kaveh Akbar. He joins us this week to discuss his new book, Martyr!, released in January[...]
A line from a new book by poet Kaveh Akbar sparks the idea for this episode: in a nutshell, does language have the capacity to truly express what we are trying to convey, or is there always something that can't be put into mere words? Is it true, as Akbar claims, that a photograph can[...]
How do we discover our passions? Is it a given that we will discover them at all? And where do they come from? Are they something we are born with and just need to be discovered within ourselves? Or are they triggered by something we are exposed to externally? Or is it a bit of[...]
Is it Covid or are we just getting older? This week we discuss how the social world seems to have changed drastically in recent years—but is it due to this post-Covid era we're living in, or is it simply because we're getting older? We wonder: Is it acceptable now to simply not respond (indefinitely) to[...]
A little girl feeds crows and gets gifts in return. It’s a wonderful true story that’s gone viral again and again. But where did it come from? As it happens, it comes from this very podcast, when Katy discovered the "Nature Girl" and friend-of-crows herself, Gabi Mann. Katy snapped a photo of her collection of[...]
It's our annual New Year's Resoultion Recap! Did we do what we promised to do last year? This is always a cringe-worthy moment for us both as we go back and listen to our own hopeful voices promising what we will do... and often they are resolutions we don't even remember making—much less keeping! Listen[...]
Happy New Year from your friends at the Bittersweet Life podcast! We wish you and your loved ones a 2024 full of adventure, personal growth, and excitment! As a final gift from us, we are extending our $500 discount for our October 2024 Rome listener trip to Epiphany (6 January 2024). So if you're considering[...]
As a special holiday treat, today we are airing a new original radio play by friend of the show, Matthew P. Woerner. In the tradition of the golden age of radio, Operator is inspired by H. G. Well's historic War of the Worlds, from the point of view of a newly minted telephone operator as[...]
We've all had it happen: you gushingly recommend your favorite cafe or restaurant or bar to a friend, only to have them go and report back something tepid like, "It was ok." How is it possible that my friend thinks my all-time favorite place is... just ok?? Which caused us to wonder: are our favorite[...]
Have you ever wondered who you would be if you had made different life choices? Even making just one big decision differently, say, not moving abroad instead of moving abroad. Or not leaving that stable job. Where would you be in the world? What would you be doing? And most intriguingly, how would your personality[...]
On our amazing listener trip to Rome this past October, we interviewed two of our guests, expats Vince and Lindy. These two native midwesterners talk about their backgrounds—traveling or not traveling as a child (depending on which member of the couple is talking), and how that has contributed to their life choices—and the challenges of[...]
On this episode, we bring you along with us on the final tour of our amazing Rome Adventure last month! During breaks between the sites of this super-secret Rome walk, Katy pulls out her microphone and interviews a few of our guests. She asks them about their impressions of Rome, the city's soundscape, the art[...]
On the final morning of our amazing first-ever Bittersweet Life listener trip to Rome, we took a bit of time to tape an episode to capture what we were feeling and how the trip was going. What's it like to see Rome for the first time? And as a tour guide in Rome who has[...]
Join us for a live episode with our listeners, the participants of the first-ever Bittersweet Life Roman Adventure! On Day Three of this amazing and magical trip, we stopped for an aperitivo in a sunny garden to tape this special show. Our topic: discovery. What are some of the greatest discoveries you've ever made, big[...]
In October we hosted the very first ever Bittersweet Life Rome Adventure with ten of our listeners! It was a blast, and we can't wait to share more about it over the coming episodes. But first! We taped this episode the evening before the trip kicked off, just a few hours before we met our[...]
The opening lines of David M. Eagleman's Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives inspires this week's episode, just in time for Halloween. Eagleman's premise is that you aren't fully dead until your name is spoken for the last time. And although the thought of your name never being spoken again, never again being remembered by the[...]
Every time Tiffany hears the word "money," she pictures geese on the Capitoline Hill. If you're curious why (and have an interest in word origins and ancient history) this episode is for you. You'll be surprised by the number of words that come to us direct from Ancient Rome. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats,[...]
It's the ingredients, stupid. Ask anyone who knows Italian food and the'll tell you that what makes it so delicious and so universally beloved are the ingredients. Viola Buitoni's new cookbook Italy By Ingredient: Artisanal Foods / Modern Recipes is a celebration of this concept. Italian-born, California-based cooking instructor and food writer, Buitoni was honored[...]
How often do actual Romans think about the Roman Empire? You probably saw the recent Tik Tok trend, in which women from around the world asked their male partners how often they thought about the Roman Empire. The results were surprising, with a lot more ancient Roman contemplation than the askers expected. We decided to[...]
500 Episodes! Can you believe it? (We can't!) (And by complete coincidence, we taped this episode on the 19th anniversary of Tiffany's arrival in Rome!) Join us for this unbelievable milestone as we muse on what happens when we do something (a podcast, living abroad...) for a very, very long time. Longer than we could[...]
“You're an expatriate. You've lost touch with the soil. You get precious. Fake European standards have ruined you…” A famous quote in Tiffany’s current read sparks a lively conversation about the unglamorous side of the expat life. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us an email[...]
How long does it take, living out of your home country, to lose your cultural fluency? When you grow up and live in the same country for most of your life, you might take it for granted, but understanding a culture, its nuances and customs, both big and small, is a huge part of everyday[...]
Where do you find inspiration—for your writing, your painting, or just the art of living? A listener question about the flowers of Italy, of all things, sparks a conversation about where we find our inspiration, and how to go about seeking it if the well is running dry. As always, we welcome listener questions. Write[...]
With our August break officially over, we're back with all new episodes, and oh my goodness, I guess that means it's Season 11! (What??!!) On this spontanous episode, we get back into the swing of things nice and slow, with a recap on what we did during our August vacation. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach[...]
Palestinian American poet Hala Alyan and her family fled Kuwait when Saddam invaded. She joins us to explore storytelling, straddling cultures, loneliness, therapy, and what value belongings come to have when you move constantly. Alyan is also a clinical psychologist and author of Salt Houses. Find Hala Alyan at her website. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach[...]
Why are colors brighter when you travel? Why do foreign doctors' offices seem sketchy sometimes? This has more to do with your brain than with reality. Science writer Erik Vance, author of Suggestible You, helps us examine the science behind our brain and its perceptions. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and[...]
Do I deserve to live a bigger life? Sarah McColl, author of the memoir Joy Enough, joins us to talk about the beautiful life she discovered while living alongside her dying mother. In this probing coversation, we also explore how fear, loss, and the expectations of others can limit our potentially terrific lives. Find Sarah[...]
Why does time fly sometimes? Why does it slow down when you travel? We explore the notion of time with Alan Burdick, author of Why Time Flies. Alan Burdick is an editor on the Health and Science desk at the New York Times. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over[...]
How long does the magic of Rome last to an expat? We recently received an email from a listener, an Australian who spent 5 years in Milan and has now been living in Rome for over a year. He wonders: when will the bubble burst? How long will he feel like his entire life is[...]
After her recent two-week trip to Austria, Tiffany reflects on the differences between Italy and Austria. Despite the fact that the countries share a border, it turns out there are many glaring differences between the two. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us an email to[...]
Today we talk names. What names are most popular for kids in Italy these days? Which are evergreen favorites and how does popular culture play a part? And are old-fashioned grandpa and grandma names back in style in Italy as they are in the US? And speaking of, what are the most popular baby names[...]
Do dead bodies make you squeamish? Have you ever seen one up close? For some, attending an open-casket funeral or a wake is as close as they'll ever come. For others, their career (funeral home director, embalmer, coroner...), close encounters with the dead are a regular fact of life. Then there are Romans, who, whether[...]
Mamma Ho Perso L'Aereo! (Mom, I Missed the Airplane!) This is the Italian title for a popular American movie—can you guess which one? On our twice-monthly bonus episodes, which we put out exclusively for our Patreon members and regular donors, we often talk about silly things, off-topic subjects, and deeply personal stories we prefer not[...]
We talk (and talk and talk) about Americans living in Italy. But what about Italians who live in the US? What happens when the shoe is on the other foot? Today we sit down with Rosanna Staffa, an Italian-born playwright and author who lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.. Her debut novel The War Ends at Four[...]
Tiffany has been complaining about the criminal way in which Romans park since nearly the dawn of her now-dormant blog back in 2010. And becoming a Roman driver herself has not cooled her resentment towards the selfish jerks who park with complete disregard to their fellow citizens. But last weekend it got personal. After a[...]
This month, Tiffany took her first solo (non-work-related) trip since becoming a mom almost 8 years ago! (What took her so long?) We reflect on the thoughts and realizations that came to her during this much-needed weekend get-away, specifically why she thinks it's vital that every mom take at least one trip away from her[...]
Planning a visit to the Vatican Museums this season? Forewarned is forearmed! Today we hear from three Vatican tour guides who dish the dirt on what it's really like inside the Vatican Museums, from unmanageable crowds to unbearable heat to rare acts of violence against the artwork. But they also share their insider tips for[...]
What's it like to be in the Vatican Museums in the middle of the night? Not just during evening hours, but long after they close... Journalist Cullen Murphy got a chance to do just that and he writes about his experience in a recent article in The Atlantic. The article sparked a discussion of places that[...]
On Monday's episode we explored the music that we grew up listening to and loving—as well as how we discovered and acquired that music. (Call-in radio request, anyone?) Today, Katy digs up some old cassette tapes she recorded off the radio back in the 80s, when sometimes, the only way to find a favorite song[...]
A question from a listener sparks today's conversation: What music do we love and listen to on a daily basis? Have our tastes changed and matured over the years or do we still love the same music we loved as kids? Also, find out why Katy says that listening through her music library takes courage.[...]
Fries, chocolate, canals, art, gabled houses... what's not to love? Fresh off a long weekend in Ghent, Tiffany sings the glories of one of her favorite European towns, and explains why Belgium is Europe's best-kept secret. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us an email to[...]
Looking for the perfect summer read, something light yet introspective and thoughtful that takes place in Rome? You're in luck! This week we are joined by nationally bestselling, award-winning author Liam Callanan to talk about his new book, When in Rome, a "story of an opportunity to start over at midlife, a chance to save[...]
School's almost out! Hooray for summer! Aurelio stops by to tell as about his summer plans, and why summer vacation for Italian kids is not quite as freeing as it is for their American counterparts. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us an email to get[...]
Do you ever have days when everything just lines up perfectly? When you couldn't have planned your day to work out in a more ideal if you had had it under your own control? Those days are rare when you live in Rome, but they do happen! In the spirit of serendipity, we let this[...]
What makes a place magical? A lot of factors can go into it, but one of them is certainly, as author Jess Walter puts it, when "history connects with the experience you're having." In this case, he's talking about the Hotel Donna Camilla Savelli, the very hotel where we are hosting our magical Roman Adventure[...]
Today we're joined by Marti Buckley, an author, cook, and journalist living in San Sebastián, Spain. Her award-winning cookbook is called Basque Country, and her second book, The Pintxo Book, will be out in spring of 2024. Listen to the interview to learn more about Basque Country (the place as well as the gorgeous book).[...]
One of the most fascinating places in Rome by far, the one that packs the most layers (literally!) of history into a single site, is without a doubt the Basilica of San Celemente and the archeological excavations that lie underneath it. Today Tiffany takes you on a virtual tour of this amazing site, a sneak[...]
What is the deal with the story within the story device? When reading 19th century literature, you're very likely to come across this technique, also known as a "frame story." And if you're like Tiffany, you find it annoying and distancing. Then again, if you're like Katy, you find it intriguing and charming. Why did[...]
There's nothing quite like being told a story. Whether you're a child whose parent or babysitter is telling you a fairytale to help you fall asleep, a camper sitting in the magical glow of a campfire while one of your friends tells a ghost story, or a thrilled movie-goer in a darkened cinema, the power[...]
What's it like to move in with a family you've never met, in a foreign city you've never been to, to take care of children that are not your own? Turns out it can vary vastly, from finding your "second family" and sobbing when its time to leave, to being treated like a prisoner without[...]
We've all heard the term "hidden gems" when it comes to going off the beaten track in popular tourist locations. Everyone wants to find that truly secret masterpiece that their fellow tourists miss. But do hidden gems really exist in a place like Rome, where millions of tourists visit every year? Some say no, but[...]
Today we are making our biggest (and most exciting) announcement ever. We are organizing an exclusive trip to Rome this October for just TEN of our listeners and their guests. Come to Rome with us! Spend 6 magical nights in one of the most beautiful and artistic hotels in Trastevere. The trip includes a walking[...]
Today we bring you a story of passion, perseverence, and loss—an adventure on the high seas (really!). Listener Jordan sent us an extraordinary letter, about a bittersweet decision he had to make recently to say goodbye to the rowboat in which he rowed across the Atlantic Ocean—and won a Guinness World Record for it. A[...]
One of the things we pride ourselves on at The Bittersweet Podcast is our relationship with our listeners. We always welcome listener emails (and even voice memos) and we read and answer every single one. We love hearing from you, learning what struck you on a particular episode, your feedback on questions we put out[...]
Think you know what "bimbo" means? What about "latte"? Turns out these Italian words are used all wrong by the majority of English speakers. On Monday's episode, we talked, among other things, about the English words that Italian speakers use wrongly. Today the shoe is on the other foot, and Tiffany explains what these popular[...]
A proposed law in Italy would ban the use English (or other foreign) words by public officials and in all government communications and documents, with fines of up to 100,000 euros for offenders. But what happens when a word in English simply doesn't exist in Italian? Or is it so archaic that it is rarely[...]
One of the trickiest parts of moving abroad (especially if it’s for the long haul), is of course: how do I get all my stuff over there? Today we’re joined by Josh Sims, the Chief Operating Officer for Sanelo, a global move management company. Josh shares some of his deep industry experience in global relocation[...]
Jess Walter is the author of ten books, including New York Times #1 bestseller Beautiful Ruins, which takes place on the Italian Riviera. The latest is a collection of short stories titled The Angel of Rome. He’s spent the last five weeks seeing more of Italy than the average Italian. What are the lessons from[...]
To say Rome is busy this season (and will only get busier as we move into summer) is an understatement. The city is on course to have its busiest tourist season IN HISTORY this year. Yikes! If you love museums and want to see some of Rome's incredible art, but you don't want to be[...]
Last week we mused about those times when life changes in and the blink of an eye... for the worse. We've all been there: you crash your car, trip and break your wrist, or lose your job, and suddenly, daily life is very different. Today, we change gears to discuss those wonderful moments when life[...]
Today Katy says goodbye to an old friend, someone she has known for over three decades. She got the news in a text message that her friend had passed away unexpectedly in Bangkok, where he had been living for 20 years. Today she gives a vulnerable and heartfelt tribute to him, and plays a clip[...]
We all know how quick life can take a turn, when an accident or split-second decision throws your entire world into tilt, and everything changes in an instant. We're not talking major catastrophes or tragedies today, but rather those annoying little things you take for granted (like having a hand that functions properly or a[...]
March, for Katy, is the most melancholy and miserable month of the year, and we talk about why on Monday's full episode. She mentions a particular March a number of years ago when the combination of wretched and dismal weather plus a cold and unpleasant work space put her into a depressed state for the[...]
It's spring at last, but early spring (and the month of March in particular) can mean different things to different people. For Katy in Seattle it's a time of constant rain and drizzle, for Tiffany in Rome it's one of most beautiful an temperate times of year, before the blistering heat of summer arrives. But[...]
"An adventure is simply physical and emotional discomfort recollected in tranquility." —Tim Cahill Do you agree? In this mini-episode, we share a snippet of a past interview with fellow podcaster and adventurer Scott Gurian. He talks about his habit of seeking adventure, being a planner who knows the best experiences are often unplanned, and how[...]
Today we have the pleasure of hosting an episode of one of our favorite travel podcasts, Far From Home, hosted by Scott Gurian. In this episode, Jamie Yuenger talks about the unexpected challenges of adjusting to life as a New Yorker living in the Netherlands. She describes the near impossibility of making friends with locals,[...]
They say that in Italy, you're either a furbo or a fesso—a wise guy or a chump. It's an unhappy reality that, in many situations in Italy, if you're not getting one over on someone else, someone is inevitably getting one over on you. After Monday's debate over the possible unexpected benefits of Italian disorganization,[...]
Italians love to complain about how disorganized everything is in Italy, but deep down, do they actually like it? A chance conversation Tiffany had last week sparked this episode about the possible benefits of living a country that doesn't take rules and regulations quite so seriously. Is there something to be said for a place[...]
What does it take to produce a professional-quality podcast? As in, what does it really take? As you may know, Katy is a seasoned radio and audio professional, not just the host and mastermind of The Bittersweet Life. Today she lets you in on a few of her podcasting secrets, including a peek behind the[...]
Is it possible to move to Italy without speaking Italian? Can you find a job in Italy without speaking Italian? Can you make friends? This week we tackle a listener email, a question from someone who is pining to move to Italy, but is worried that she won't be able to find work or fit[...]
You've seen the David, you know all about the Duomo, and the Uffizi is just to crowded... What else is there to see in Florence? As it turns out, a lot. On this mini-episode, Tiffany fills you in on some amazing places to visit in Florence once you've seen the top three. Sign up for[...]
Today The Bittersweet Life pops off to Florence, or at least, Tiffany regales Katy with the details of her recent trip to the cradle of the Renaissance, including specific stops she made to research her latest book, a YA historical fiction thriller set in Florence in 1600. Also, we talk about how memory-provoking it can[...]
After a discussion about how living in a foreign country can sometimes make you feel like you're completely overlooked and even invisible, Katy shares why, as a writer, that might be a wonderful thing. Be sure to listen to Monday's full episode first! ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over[...]
Today we start the episode with a clip of comedy writer David Sedaris talking about his experiences as an expat, someone who, as he says, "doesn't count." This sparks a conversation about the anonymity that comes with being and living abroad. Is it a good thing? Is it simply a novelty that will wear off[...]
On Monday we talked about the risks of missing out on important moments because we are too busy photographing them to actually live them, and in particular, we talked about society's obsession with the selfie. But compulsively photographing yourself is not the only problem. On this mini-episode, we chat with Aurelio to get his perspective[...]
Once upon a time, we took pictures in order to remember our travels—now we travel in order to get good pictures... so we can share on social media. At least, that's the take of opinion piece Tiffany happened upon in the New York Times, titled You're Pointing Your Camera the Wrong Way by Margaret Renkl.[...]
The art of letter-writing is not lost! Not if you, like Katy, choose to keep it alive. On this mini-episode, we hear from Katy's mom, who describes an wonderful keepsake from someone she wrote letters to for decades, and now she's passing on the tradition. Also, Katy reads some postcards she wrote to her mom[...]
There's something poignant about knowing that you will never see a particular painting again, even if you don't even really like that painting. Today, Katy shares an excerpt from a book she's reading The Victorian and the Romantic, by Nell Stevens (known under the title Mrs. Gaskell and Me in the UK), about a woman[...]
Today we time-travel back to 2004 when Tiffany was a newly arrived expat in Rome. Believe it or not, those first few weeks and months were not exactly idyllic. Far from it. Tiffany reads some excerpts from her journals from 2004, entries that she has not looked at in almost 19 years! One thing that[...]
Are you brave enough? Why is it that reading one of your old journals can be so terrifying—or often so cringe-worthy, depending on how far back it goes. Last week we talked about the dilemma of what to do with the piles and piles of old journals many people have. (Make sure you listen to[...]
Would ever read excerpts of your personal journal live on air? That's what Katy's doing on this mini-episode. She cracks opens some of her old journals (including a diary from when she was 11) and reads some of the most interesting snippits. From bird- and duck-watching as a wee girl (yes, she's been going out[...]
A few weeks we did an episode about downsizing, inspired by a voice message sent in by a listener. We both love the idea of downsizing and the topic sparked a passionate conversations, but it got us thinking: what do we do with our journals? If you are an avid, life-long journal writer, you will[...]
Every year in January, the pope baptizes a group of lucky babies—the offspring of his employees born in the previous six months—and he does it in the most famous chapel in the world, the legendary Sistine Chapel. Back in 2016, our own little Aurelio was one of those fortunate kiddos. Tiffany recalls the details of[...]
It's our first new full episode of 2023, so of course we're here to share our New Year's Resolutions with you! We also listen back to last year's resolutions and fess up on whether we managed to accomplish them or not! ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world.[...]
What happens when kids make New Year's Resolutions? Find out on today's mini-episode when we're joined by Aurelio to hear if he has set any resolutions this year—or if he even knows what resolutions are. But what it all boils down to really (for kids as well as adults) is this: what do I want[...]
It's that time of year again! Ready or not, it's time to listen back at our New Year's Resolutions from last year. Most people don't even consider their resolutions past January or so, but we are masochists and we go back and listen every year to see how we did. Listen in with us, and[...]
In honor of our Christmas week break, we bring you an episode from way, way back in time. Holidays was taped all the way back in December 2013, although it aired a few months later. Back then, the Bittersweet Life podcast was in its earliest infancy (this is just the 3rd ever episode!), Katy was[...]
In the spirit of Christmas, we've decided to take the week off (shocking, we know!) so in lieu of a new episode this week, we are re-airing on of our favorite original radio plays of recent years, A Gift, by friend of the show, Matthew P. Woerner. In the flavor of Its a Wonderful Life,[...]
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from your friends at the Bittersweet Life! Enjoy this festive greeting from your devoted podcast hosts! ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us an email to get the conversation started. BECOME A PATRON: Pledge your monthly support of The Bittersweet Life[...]
Who says you can only excel at one thing? Lots of people it turns out. As Katy is focusing more of her time and effort on her writing career, certain people who know her exclusively as a long-time radio professional just can't get their heads around the idea that she might be able to do[...]
What is it about little Italian boys that made them adore calcio (aka soccer, if you're in America), (aka football, if you're anywhere else) so much? It must be something they are born with because we certainly didn't instill it in him, and yet adore calcio he most certainly does. On this week's episode we[...]
Do you feel the need to cull your belongings, either because you’re planning a big move, moving to a smaller space, or just feel you have too much stuff? Downsizing is something that all would-be expats will eventually face—as well as anyone who yearns for a less cluttered and simpler life—so when we received a[...]
Is writing one of the things that you are hoping to do more of in the new year? Are you a writer who feels blocked? Or, regardless of your preferred creative medium, do you feel like you're in a bit of a rut? If any of these is the case for you, listen to this[...]
When Tiffany described her struggles and misadventures to recreate a traditional Thanksgiving meal in her adopted country (listen to that mini-episode here if you haven't already), Katy had lots of questions. In this episode, they dissect what it is that makes it so hard, practically and emotionally, to recreate traditional holidays in a country that[...]
Against all odds (including being a self-described unenthusiastic cook), Tiffany managed to pull off a full Thanksgiving meal this year, all by herself! And it was waaaaay more work than she expected! On this week's mini-episode, she describes the challanges of finding distinctly non-Italian ingredients for this all-American meal, the confusion of guests who don't[...]
Autumn isn't everyone's favorite season... but it should be. For no other reason than because we're in the middle of the best season of the year, today we put aside the "serious" topics to play a little game. This or That, autumn edition. Play along with us and hear us at our most unscripted and[...]
This autumn we announced our best book giveaway ever: a chance to win a brand-new copy of Jane Austen's best-loved novel Pride and Prejudice in the stunning Penguin Clothbound Classics edition. On this mini-episode, we put all the names of the giveaway participants into a hat (literally, Katy uses her grandfather's silk tophat for such[...]
Are you tired of watching every one you know go to Italy? The writer of a recent Eater article was, and she penned a viral complaint about it for the popular online foodie publication, with the specific complaint that the media turns too much of its focus on Italy—particularly when it comes to food programming—so[...]
Katy recently threw her hat in the ring, and ended up on a stage in Richmond, Virginia, vying for a $10,000 podcast pilot contract. We listen in on the contest of a lifetime. You'll get to hear her live pitch and all about her amazing podcast idea that wowwed the judges and the audience, as[...]
When you decide to try something new, you might as well go all the way. That's what Katy was thinking when she bought opera tickets for the first time ever, and that the opera was by Wagner. Tiffany (who has a bit more experience with opera) was, understandably, concerned. Will Katy adore it? Will she[...]
If the current political situation in America or Britain or wherever you happen to live is not your cup of tea, you can always move abroad (easier said than done, of course)! On this mini-episode, Tiffany lays out the "best" and "worst" (according to several studies and surveys) countries and cities to live in as[...]
What does it mean to belong—to a place, a family, a profession, a community? They say that belonging is a universal need, but if that's true, why do expats willingly leave home, family, friends, and job to move to a foreign country where they often know no one? Why do expats chose to live in[...]
What's it like to really live with a ghost, and why do so many people want to these days? This mini-episode was inspired by a recent article in the New York Times that suggests some interesting reasons why ghosts are more popular than ever. And in response to last week's mini-episode, we hear from a[...]
Everyone has one—a ghost story, that is. At least that's what our guests on this episode claim. And their podcast sets out to prove it. Homespun Haints is a hilarious yet serious look at all things ghostly. Their episodes include both their own personal experiences with the other-worldly, as well as stories of their many[...]
On Monday's episode, our guest Monique Le described a simple but memorable moment—just after arriving in Seattle as an immigrant from Vietnam —as romantic. Inspired by this, on today's mini-episode, Tiffany shares some of the moments that have stood out in her life that have captured that same sense of indescribable romance. Not surprisingly, they[...]
Monique Le fled Vietnam when she was 16 years old. After eight months in a refugee camp, she finally landed in the United States. Thirty years later, Monique lives in Seattle and makes her living as a matchmaker. We'll explore her amazing journey as one of the now legendary "boat people" of Vietnam, and why[...]
When new listeners find our show, they often ask themselves (or us), where do I begin? And it's understandable: with an archive of over 450 episodes and pushing 200 mini-episodes, it can be hard to know where to start. To avoid new-listener overwhelm, we taped this mini (but actually kind of long!) episode to help[...]
Just in time for Halloween, we share grisly stories about the scariest, ickiest, and most unpleasant nights we ever spent on a trip—in a hotel, apartment, or other not ideal accomodation. But what makes this episode special is that we tell these stories LIVE on a live episode recording with our supporters on Patreon. At[...]
On the heels of the big parliamentary elections in Italy last month, and the upcoming 2022 midterm elections in the states, Tiffany talks about what it's like to vote in Italy. You'll probably be surprised to hear how old school the process is, and Tiffany never ceases to be amazed—and delighted—at how little the process[...]
On a recent Bittersweet Moment, Tiffany remembered accidently smearing a bit of lipstick on the doorframe of one of the buildings she lived in her first months in Rome, and how that red streak is still there, 18 years later. And how, somehow, every time she sees it, it reminds her of her earliest days[...]
On Monday's episode we asked the question, where would you live if you could live anywhere? Today we think about what would you do if you could do anything? What would you want to learn? Katy once met a ballet dancer who was no longer getting hired. She'd aged out of the industry she loved.[...]
It used to be that we moved to (and stayed in) whatever city we got a job in—whether we liked living there or not. Luckily, thanks to the rise in remote work and freelancing, we have more freedom than ever to take an active choice in where we want to livebut that doesn't necessarily make[...]
On the heels of Tiffany's 18th anniversary of moving to Rome, she remenisces about the miserable living situations she found herself in those very first weeks as an expat. Luckily, with the distance of nearly two decades, she can laugh about these memories now instead of cry. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats,[...]
Tiffany has officially lived in Rome longer than she has lived anywhere else! As she realizes this milestone, she and Katy reflect on what has changed for her since she made the move abroad, what has stayed the same, how she's grown and what she wished she had done differently. Katy also asks a big[...]
We all know what Rome is supposed to look like: towering ruins, baroque majesty, cobblestones, orange buildings, churches everywhere you look. But Rome has the power to surprise you, even those of us who know her well. On this mini-episode, Tiffany recounts her visit to the tiny and delightful neighborhood of Coppedè in the north[...]
As we kick of our tenth season, it got us wondering: why do we do anything for ten years? What keeps us going? How do we keep it fun? Whether it's a marriage, a job, a life in a foreign country, or a podcast you started on a whim, what makes us do things for[...]
The mountains are calling and I must go! Despite having lived in Seattle the vast majority of her life, Katy is not much of an outdoorsy type. Still, she recently heeded the call of nature (and her partner Derek, whose hiking buddies had canceled on him last minute), to go on a strenuous hiking and[...]
We kick of a brand new season today (Season 10, can you believe it?), and as exciting as that is, at the same time, our unforgettable Summer in Rome series is officially a wrap. As always when Tiffany returns from a long stint in the States, she shares her observations about the things that seem[...]
You've all heard at least half a dozen times Tiffany's impressions on the differences (both great and small) between the US and Italy. But on this mini-episode, Aurelio weighs in with his observations after his recent visit to his second home country. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the[...]
Saying goodbye is always bittersweet... especially when you're leaving not just a good friend, but also a beloved city. Today is the final chapter in our "Summer in Rome" series—we hoped you enjoyed listening to it as much as we enjoyed making it—and we muse on time, and how our perception of it is able[...]
What more unexpected magic in your life? Try playing "Left, Right, Surprise," a game invented by author Robert Fulghum which appears in his book Third Wish, a personal favorite of Katy. On this mini-episode, Katy lays out how to play this interesting game, which will help you discover not just a new place or detail,[...]
Is there anywhere else on earth that offers as much sheer beauty as Italy? (We'd wager there aren't.) But in addition to Italy's undeniable beauty, there is a sense of magic that never quite leaves you. With artistic masterpieces hidden in obscure churches, exquisite villages perched on remote mountaintops, and archetectural wonders tucked away in[...]
Tiffany and her family are back in Italy after their summer vacation in the US. On this mini-episode, Tiffany and Aurelio talk about their trip, specifically the flight, and Tiffany reminisces about how different air travel was when she was a kid. She also asks Aurelio where he would rather live—Italy or America—and which language[...]
Little known fact: Rome is the city in Europe with the most green space per capita! It's true, Rome is not all crumbling ruins and crowded city streets. The city is bursting with parks and gardens, true urban oases that often have centuries-old histories. Katy and Tiffany visit one such garden on this episode, the[...]
During the long lonely months of Covid lockdown and beyond, Seattlite cartoonist Kate Wheeler dreamed of moving to Rome. This winter, she made that dream a reality. She sits down with Katy to talk about how she made it happen, the challenges she has faced, the biggest rewaards, and how Rome is now inspiring her art.[...]
Where did Lord Byron and Percy Shelley come to scribble down their verses? Where did Bizet and Berlioz go to discuss their work? Where could Casanova be found trying to pick up girls? Caffè Greco, where else? Having opened in 1760, Antico Caffè Greco is the oldest café in Rome and the second-oldest in all[...]
Accordion music... red and white checkered table clothes... spaghetti and meatballs... All wonderful things but... actually, they are NOT Italian! On this mini-episode, Tiffany debunks some myths about what's authentically Italian and what isn't, particularly when it comes to what many tourists think is Italian cuisine. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and[...]
When you come back after several years to a city where you used to live, what do you notice? What has change? What has stayed the same? What have you forgotten about in your time away? Arriving in Rome after four years away, Katy notices something that—once ubiquitous on the streets of Rome—is now missing:[...]
Following our exclusive interview with Princess Rita Boncompagni Ludovisi, we explore the spectacular and art-filled Rome in a private tour, led by the owner herself! Casino Boncompagni Ludovisi, lovingly referred to as Villa Aurora, boasts an optical illusion by Guercino, four painters trying to outdo each other on the same ceiling for further commissions, a[...]
In this EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW with Princess Rita Boncompagni Ludovisi, the elusive American princess opens up about her relationship with the late Prince Nicolò, the unpleasant inheritance fight she's currently embroiled in with her stepsons, how she feels about the prospect of being forced from her home, and—perhaps most intriguingly—what it's like to live at Villa Aurora,[...]
If you are dreaming of an Italian summer, find it within the pages of a book. Tiffany shares her favorite books that take place (at least partly) in Italy in summer, and exqiusitely and vividly capture that magical setting. **Check out our interview with Liam Callanan about his earlier book, Paris by the Book here.** -------------------------------------[...]
Ah, the freedom of the roadtrip. Go anywhere, anytime, at your own pace. No limits but the open road... *record scratch* ...unless you are roadtripping in Europe, that is. Katy recounts the hazards, hiccups, and dramas of her attempt to roadtrip across several European countries... and catching Covid in the process. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US:[...]
"I was in Italy at Lake Como when I learned I had Covid." So begins an original piece by our own Katy Sewall, which recounts her health adventure getting Covid after two full years of pandemic isolation and extreme precaution, just as she finally departed on her first international trip since the coronavirus outbreak. She[...]
As you know if you're a regular listener, our show goes a lot deeper than travel tips an "best of"s. Our weekly conversations explore many aspects of life (both abroad and at home), and we encourage our listeners to live more daring and authentic lives. But we've had so many requests for an episode about[...]
Rome's fountains are nothing short of inspiring—as we discovered on Monday's episode that features excerpts from Ottorino Respighi's symphonic tone poem, The Fountains of Rome. But there are so many more fountains in Rome than are depicted auditorily in Respighi's music, and so many more than the average tourist comes across in the course of[...]
Rome not only has more fountains than any city on earth, it also has the most beautiful ones, from the delicate Fountain of the Turtles (ispiration for Tiffany's book Midnight in the Piazza), to the massive Fontanone on the Gianicolo Hill and so many others. In fact, the eary 20th-century Italian composer Ottorino Respighi was[...]
Looking back on her eventful gap year, our childhood friend Suzanne (whom me mention often on this show) talks about what prompted her to put off college for two years (in a time and place where it simply wasn't done) to go live her version of a bohemian artist's life in Europe. She talks about[...]
What about if you dream of moving abroad—but love your life and your community in your home town? This was the dilemma of longtime listener Darlene, who wrote to us several times during her years-long path to becoming an expat. She finally took the plunge and moved to Italy. She started out in Bolzano and[...]
It's hot in Rome right now, and all over Italy. Unbearably hot. Tourists and locals alike are dropping like flies. On this mini-episode, Tiffany shares her tried-and-true tips based on her experience enduring nearly 20 Roman summers (most of them without the luxury of air conditioning) that will keep you reasonably cool, and—most importantly—ensure that[...]
When your co-hosts stumble upon Tiffany's old apartment on Via Garibaldi, where she spent several memorable years between her late 20s and early 30s, it sparks a conversation about aging. Not just the ravages of time on our faces and bodies, but how aging can change the way we remember the past, how we perceive[...]
As Katy wanders through her rental aparment in Rome, she revels in the quiet joy of simply waking up in a new place (especially after so much time sticking close to home). Part of travel is not just going out and exploring, but sitting still and noticing what's different about the place you find yourself[...]
You may know that St. Francis of Assisi traveled to Rome in the early 13th century, but do you know where he stayed? Did you know that you can vist the very cell where he slept and even see (and touch) the stone that St. Francis used for a pillow? (And by the way, why[...]
When traveling in Italy, how do you know when you are getting your money's worth and when you are getting scammed? Last week, Tiffany shared tips gathered from her long experience living Italy to help you avoid getting robbed, and this week, she dishes the dirt on how not to get scammed. Be sure to[...]
Katy finally tests negative for Covid and these two long-separated friends are reunited at last! Katy and Tiffany grab a spot on the steps of the fountain in Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere for a totally unplanned, unscripted conversation. It turns into an exploration of Rome through the senses, particularly, what Katy's heightened senses are[...]
You've finally arrived in Italy for your dream vacation and all you want to do is dive head-first into pasta, gelato, art, history, and beauty but... [record scratch] ...you just got robbed. Passport gone. Smartphone swiped. Wallet emptied. Credit cards maxed out. It is a living travel nightmare that most of us have experienced at[...]
After more than two years of staying close to home during the pandemic, being as careful to avoid infection as one could possibly be, with no international travel to speak of, Katy and her husband finally arrive in Italy! And the very first thing that happens... Katy tests positive for Covid Tiffany and Katy are[...]
As we prepare to launch our "Summer in Rome" series, Katy muses on her favorite suitcase, a piece of luggage that has seen her though nearly every trip she's ever taken for the past quarter of a century, from bus trips to train trips to road trips to flights, including many to Vietnam. With the[...]
Does the language that we speak influence the way that our thoughts work? An article in the New York Times by Guy Deutcher, Does Your Language Shape How You Think? explores this topic in depth. Taking inspiration from the article, Katy and Tiffany muse on this topic, from how gendered nouns influences how we think[...]
The sounds that follow you throughtout your day have a way of slipping into the background and going unnoticed. But how often do you stop to really listen? On Monday's episode we played audio that listeners sent in of the sounds that mean something to them, that signify the something good is happening, or for[...]
What are the sounds you truly love, not for how beautiful they are, but for what they mean? Sounds that, for whatever reason, make you happy? Sounds that, when you hear them, you know something good is about to happen? We asked and you answered. We asked our listeners to send in the sounds that[...]
No, we didn't make a mistake and accidently air a BONUS episode on the regular show. Today, we are giving ALL our listeners a peek at what our Patreon supporters and regular donors get twice a month: fun, often silly, sometimes off-topic, and always extremely candid BONUS EPISODES! On this one, Katy and Tiffany talk[...]
Two years after the worldwide outbreak of Covid-19, what will the long-term effects be? Not just in terms of public health, but in terms of privacy, censorship, and government control? This week, we are joined by journalists Joel Simon and Robert Mahoney, co-authors of The Infodemic: How Censorship and Lies Made the World Sicker and[...]
How many weeks (roughly) do you have left to live? The answer will probably shock you, accoriding to author and cartoonisht Tim Urban, as most of us like to think our lives are, somehow, infinite. But even more surprising than that, Urban points out, are the number of days we have left with the people[...]
We are proud to say that we have some of the most engaged listeners in the entire podcast world! We get lots of mail from our listeners, both comments and questions about specific past episodes, as well as suggestions for future episodes and questions about life (often expat life) in general. Every so often, we[...]
When Tiffany's mom (and Aurelio's Nana) came to Rome for a visit over Easter, they didn't tell Aurelio that his cousin Parker was coming too. It was a surprise they kept for months (and almost spilled more than once!) but it was worth it. On this mini-episode, hear Aurelio's reaction when he discovers his adored[...]
What’s it like to be a tour guide in Rome? How do you break into the business? And how do you learn all the facts, much less put them together to make a coherent, enjoyable tour that lasts just the right amount of time? On this episode, Katy grills Tiffany on her over 15 years’[...]
After our interview with Andrea Scher, author of Wonder Seeker, Katy is inspired to play a game that Andrea invented and outlines in her book. It’s a storytelling game that has the intention not of trying to tell the most amazing and entertaining story, but to allow yourself to be completely spontaneous, to connect with[...]
What is wonder? And how does it affect your life? Perhaps most importantly, what can we do to harness it? Today we are joined by Andrea Scher, author of Wonder Seeker: 52 Ways to Wake Up Your Creativity and Find Your Joy, a playful, practical, and effective guide to finding wonder and joy in your[...]
According to legend, the city of Rome was founded on 21 April 753 BC. That means today is Rome’s 2775th birthday! On this mini-episode, Tiffany tells a very brief version of the founding myth of ancient Rome, and explains some of the events that take place in the city on this day, from historical reenactments[...]
We have news! Katy is on her way back to Rome—for the first time in over four years! She’s traveling to Rome partly for vacation, and partly to get out on the streets with Tiffany and make some episodes in the wild! This exciting development sparks a conversation about returning to places we know well[...]
Rome is the center of the Christian world, and therefore, Easter is a BIG DEAL here. (The Pope lives here, after all!) In this mini-episode, Tiffany lays out all the most important traditions of a Roman Easter, including how to see the Pope, what to eat, what to wear, what the Easter bunny will bring,[...]
We all know what synonyms are, and probably antonyms too. But have you ever heard of contronyms? Tiffany and Katy have a little fun playing with these controdictory words, which launches a discussion on learning a foreign language, including what makes learning English hard, and how it differs from a language like Italian. Tiffany also[...]
We recently challenged you to send us sounds you love, or even familiar everyday sounds that elicit a positive feeling or a sense of anticipation. To show you how many sounds surround you, Katy takes you on an audio tour of her office. Don't forget to send in your favorite sounds so we can incorporate[...]
Traveling all alone... does sound like a nightmare or a dream? Or perhaps the idea intrigues you but you're a little too scared to try it. Thanks to a listener question, we delve into the realities of solo travel on this episode, the good, the bad, the perks, the challenges, the dangers, and the unexpected[...]
Who can say no to amazing works of art that you can see for free? If you've been paying attention, you know we started this series of mini-episodes with free paintings, ogling works by Pinturicchio, Raphael, Caravaggio and many more; then we feted Michelangelo and Bernini in our episode on statues; then we fed our pupils[...]
Katy's New Year's resolution to go horseback riding (and specifically to gallop) inspired her to interview Mary Anne Campbell, a trainer and master of the art of French classical equitation. Mary Anne tells the long and fascinating history of horse riding and horse training, before embarking on a conversation that sparks larger questions about life. She[...]- Veteran KUOW sound engineer and long-time colleague of Katy, Doug Patterson passed away this month. Much of the work that Katy created over her public radio career was made possible by Doug's technical abilities. She was asked to create an audio obituary for him, a project she accepted with a trepidation, considering her long professional[...]
Ever had a souvenir that you' grew to hate? Something that you'd love to get rid of, but can't bear to because you carried it across the world? Or what about the things you wish you had bought, but didn't? Objects that—whether because they were too expensive, too impractical, or simply too hard to get[...]
We had so many listeners send us feedback about Monday's episode on the challenges of maintain long-term friendships when you live abroad for a significant amount of time, so we decided to share a few on this mini-episode. Make sure you listen to Monday's episode first, then tune in to hear what a few of[...]
When you're a longtime expat, do your friends back home move on? Expats often make friends with other expats in their adopted country. That can be great, but it also means that it's very likely that your new friends will, sooner or later, move away and you'll be back to square one. It's typical, therefore,[...]
If you like podcasts (and we assume you do if you're listening to this one), you know how powerful the human voice can be. While we love getting letters and emails from our listeners—and we often read them on the show—there's something even more special about getting a voice message. Today we share one we[...]
Formerly close but now estranged siblings, two girls with a passion for swimming in the sea, a death that reveals long hidden secrets, a voice message from beyond the grave, and a tradtional Caribbean cake that ties it all together. These are the ingredients for Black Cake, the bestselling new novel by Charmaine Wilkerson, who[...]
Love medieval mosaics? Then you're in luck as Tiffany continues her Free Art in Rome's Churches series with a mini-episode all about mosaics— which Roman churches they call home. From the Paleochristian mosaics at Santa Costanza to the innovative late-medieval mosaics by Pietro Cavallini in Santa Maria in Trastevere, follow Tiffany on a tour of[...]
How long do you have to live outside your own country before your patriotism starts to fade? How long do you have to be an expat or immigrant before hearing your home country bashed doesn’t phase you? For Tiffany, the answer is at least more than 17 years. Even though she’s called Italy home for[...]
On Monday we talked about Italian espresso, and what an integral part of Italian culture it is. In the same vein, Katy describes the unique coffee shop culture of Seattle in the 1990s—a far cry from the sterile, uniform, laptop-laden Starbucks of today. In their heyday, Seattle's iconic coffee shops were gritty, smoky, filled with grunge[...]
What makes Italian espresso different from American coffee? Perhaps more to the point, what makes it better? And what separates good espresso from great espresso? Today we are joined by author and Italian espresso expert Wendy Pojmann to talk about all things caffè. An American professor and historian, Wendy was in Italy to do research,[...]
Only in Rome can you stumble upon a Michelangelo sculpture in a church hardly any tourists visit. A few weeks ago we talked about some of the most artistically important frescoes and oil paintings that you can find and admire (for free!) in Rome's churches. (Listen here!) Today, Tiffany takes you on another tour of[...]
Tiffany gives you the low-down on Rome's neighborhoods, particularly from the expat perspective. Which neighborhoods are the prettiest? Where are they located? How high are the living expenses there and what kind of expat (typically) lives there? Also—what's the most important landmark in each neighborhood and what kind of food can you get there? We[...]
This week, Tiffany and Aurelio brave the distance learning trenches! What's it like for a six-year-old who has only just started school to attend class via Zoom? How does distance learning in Italy (aka DAD) differ from its American counterpart? But most importantly, what is a testuggine, and why does Aurelio love them so much?[...]
What does it take to capture the sounds of the world's rich and diverse wildlife? On this extraordinary interview, we are joined by sound and nature recordist Martyn Stewart. Stewart has one of the largest collections of natural sounds in the world, having recorded more than 90,000 different sounds in more than 55 different countries[...]
What is life like when you grow up in no fixed place and in countries that neither of your parents are from? The term for this kind of person is Third Culture Kid, and longtime listener Chelsea Hicks joins us on this mini-episode to explain what it's like. Not only is Chelsea a Third Culture[...]
You've taken your Italian lessons, you've memorized your vocabulary, you've practiced all your most useful phrases. Then you get to Italy...and it all flies out the window. It's a common problem that many language-learners face. But how to get around it? Why can speaking to an Italian in Italy be so much harder than speaking[...]
Wander into one of Rome's hundreds of churches, and you might just find yourself face to face with an artistic masterpiece that, in any other city, would be the main attraction of the city's biggest museum—and would come with a hefty price tag and probably lots of crowds. But in Rome, these works are all[...]
When the sons of a centuries-old noble Roman family and the American widow of their father, the prince, can't decide who gets to live in the family's priceless villa, a forced auction ensues! Princess Rita, a glamorous American, has been living in her late husband, Prince Nicolò Boncompagni Ludovisi's historic family home, Villa Aurora, since[...]
When you decide to hop a plane to LA and recreate your favorite childhood film with your sisters, you contact the writers and directors and ask if they'd like to meet up. At least, if you're Katy, that's what you do. As a follow-up to Episode 411: A Sisterly Quest to Midnight Madness, Katy and[...]
Seven years ago, Katy and her sisters—who each live in different states—started gathering once a year for “Sisterfest.” But this year they are doing something different. When they were little girls growing up outside Seattle, they watched a little-known 1980 movie called Midnight Madness. It became a kind of cult classic in their house, and[...]
We get lots of mail from our loyal listeners and we love reading it! You guys always have the best questions and the most insightful commentary on our episodes. We often get inspired to make entire episodes based on a listener email. On this mini-episode, Katy dives into the mail bag to read some of[...]
After the disaster of the last two years, Katy and Tiffany are a bit reluctant to make New Year's Resolutions this year. After all, what will the year be like? If 2021 taught us anything, it's that we can't presume to think we know when (or if) the pandemic will end. Nevertheless, they can't help[...]
After hearing from Katy's own lips before and after her experience going scuba diving in the frigid waters of the Pacific Ocean in winter, listen to Tiffany's own deep-sea adventure in Sumatra, when she accidentally came face to face with a terrifying sea creature. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all[...]
New Year—new experiences! At least that's the idea. That's the way we used to do it pre-pandemic anyway. On this first episode of 2022, Katy digs back into her vast personal audio archive to relive what it was like to fulfill a rather adventurous New Year's Resolution several years back. Hear her as she prepares[...]
About a month ago, in Bittersweet Moment No. 129, you learned about the 24-hour Radio Race, a competition that challenges radio artists to create a 4-minute story based on an assigned theme—in just 24 hours. Katy teamed up with reporter Casey Martin and created a story they titled "The Thirty Year Secret." They share this[...]
Instead of looking back on the entire year of 2021 (because that might not be too fun), today we look back on the year through the books we read. Find out which we loved best, which surprised us, and which were not as good as we had hoped. PS Listen to this mini-episode to hear[...]
Do you read to your kids? Tiffany an Aurelio read together every night (and sometimes, when the book is especially good, at every meal). Tiffany and Aurelio gather up all the books they read together in 2021, and sit under the Christmas tree to talk about which Aurelio liked best (and why), which he like[...]
Tell us your favorite Christmas movie, and we'll tell you what to do in Rome at Christmastime. All alone like Kevin McCallister? Feeling romantic à la Love Actually? Or are you a regular Grinch this time of year? Whichever iconic holiday film speaks to you, we've got an idea for the perfect Roman activity for[...]
If you listened to A Gift, the charming and heart-warming radio play we aired on Monday, don't miss the short epilogue, which we are airing on today's mini-episode. It is, of course, also by the great team at AudioImagination77 led by Matthew P. Woerner. This touching and bittersweet (no pun intended!) radio play touches on[...]
In the flavor of Its a Wonderful Life, this original radio play is about a mysterious, magical shop where the customer might just find what they long for. When a woman takes a walk on Christmas Eve, she notices a shop she's never seen before—though the owner says it's been open for over 100 years.[...]
From pandora to panettone and everything in between, follow us a dessert-rich tour of Italy at Christmastime. From Cremona's super-sweet and sticky torrone, to the delightful struffoli famous in Naples, on this mini-episode, Tiffany fills you in on all the traditional Italian holiday desserts that warm us up on cold December nights. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US:[...]
How do you dress in Italy so you blend in? No one wants to be pegged as a tourist the moment they step off the plane, so today, in response to a listener question, Tiffany gives her advice on how to dress when in Italy so you'll look more like a local. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US:[...]
Imagine you hear a note—any note—from a ding in an elevator to the whistle of a bird, and somehow, without even having to thing about it, you just know what note it is. F-sharp. B-flat. Middle C. It's just there, as easy as it would be for the rest of us to recognize a color.[...]
We spend a lot of time on this show encouraging our listeners—especially those who write in for advice—to throw caution to the wind and move abroad if that is their dream. But what about when the timing just doesn't seem right? Today we read a letter from a listener asking about a possible move to[...]- We spend a lot of time on this show encouraging our listeners—especially those who write in for advice—to throw caution to the wind and move abroad if that is their dream. But what about when the timing just doesn't seem right? Today we read a letter from a listener asking about a possible move to[...]
For Adrianne Castro and her husband Joe, a move to Rome had been a very long time in the making. At first it started out as just an idea when they were on a trip with their young son. But then soon found themselves wondering: why not? Several years, a son settled at college, the[...]
Do you suffer from anxiety? Is it a chronic problem, or something that only flairs up at certain times? Or are you one of the lucky ones, blessed with calm under pressure? Today we talk about anxiety from a few different angles, including the stress that comes along with moving outside of your comfort zone,[...]
Can you produce an entire creative project in just 24 hours, from start to finish? This week, Katy attempted just that. She and her good friend and fellow radio producer Casey Martin decided to participate in the KCRW 24-hour Radio Race 2021. The challenge: produce an entire radio piece from scratch in no more than 24[...]
Where do you find your ideas? Do they come to you in a dream? Do you find them by reading, traveling, researching? Do you get them in the shower? By listening in on strangers' conversations? Or do they just come to you from out of nowhere? Do you have so many ideas you can't begin[...]
What does it take to write a book from beginning to end? The novel-writing process probably looks very different from writer to writer, but on this mini-episode, Tiffany describes her writing process from the first seed of an idea, all the way to a completed book. The writing tools she mentions in this mini-episode are[...]
Today we present a special radio drama, The Three, created by our friends over at AudioImagination77. After the listener response of their earlier show, After Midnight, which we aired back on Episode 346, we have decided to air their most recent production, a chilling true crime drama. Even more intriguing? The script of The Three[...]
How often do you stop and listen to the world? Just stop and listen. How often do you take the time to notice the sounds around you, birds, wind blowing in the trees, people's conversation, or even your own footsteps as you walk through your neighborhood. If you're like Katy, not only do you listen[...]
Lots of people pack up the ghostly decor come November, but in truth, November is the real month of the dead, starting with All Saints' Day on the first and All Souls on the second. (Halloween is really only the preview.) On this ghostly episode, we chat about the origins of halloween and how they are connected to[...]
How's first grade in Italy going? Does Aurelio love it or hate it, what's his favorite subject, and does his English teacher actually speak English? We find out on this week's mini-episode, a short (and very giggly) interview with our resident six-year-old redhead. Also, Halloween is around the corner? What's Aurelio's favorite thing about Halloween,[...]
As the author of 21 books and a career that has spanned multiple decades, how to you stay curious about the world around you? This is just one of the things we discover on this week's episode, a deep and intimate conversation with author Robert Fulghum, who just happens to be a personal friend of[...]
One of the most interesting thing about our show is that people are listening at all over the place—and no, we don't mean from all over the globe, although that is also true—but that some of our listeners have been with us from the very beginning and hear each episode as it comes out, some[...]
Today we dig into our overflowing mail bag and pull out a few listener letters that have particularly struck us lately. We always appreciate hearing from our listeners, whether with a questions, a comment, or a criticism, so if you are so inclined, drop us a line, you might just have your letter read on air—and[...]
What's it like to return to the city where you studied abroad? What's it like return 50 years later... and in the company of your former classmates, many you haven't seen for half a century? Today's guests can tell you. For this mini-episode, we're joined by a number of former students who studied abroad in Rome[...]
You did it! You've landed that amazing job, or maybe you're successfully living abroad in the country you've always dreamed of, or you've published your book, bought your dream home, won a major award in your industry (you fill in the blank). The question is: can you chalk it all up to hard work? Or[...]
Last week we heard from Tiffany about her very first days living as an expat in Rome 17 years ago. Today, it's Katy's turn. She digs into the daily journal she kept back in the fall of 2013, when she moved to Rome with not only no ability to speak the language, but also no[...]
The COVID pandemic has separated many families around the world, including that of today's guest, Diana Opong. Normally, her parents travel to Ghana, their home country, several months of every year. But during the pandemic, they got trapped there, and could not return to the United States. That caused some major problems and a lot[...]
What was Rome like when Tiffany first moved there? On this mini-episode, Tiffany reminisces about what it was like to find an apartment, look for a job, use a cell phone, keep in touch with family, and make friends way back in 2004. (Spoiler alert: it's all way easier now.) ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach[...]
Tiffany and Katy dig into their mail bag and pull out a letter from Tyler, who had been just about to move abroad when the pandemic hit. As he waits and waits (and waits) for things to go back to "normal," he feels time (and perhaps his expat dreams as well) slipping away. He writes to[...]
How has one of our listeners adjusted to moving back to the States after years as an expat in Europe? We find out on this mini-episode. In a follow-up to Monday's show on reverse culture shock, Katy reads an email from long-time listener Sonali, who shares some of the things that shocked her most—from expensive food[...]
When you've lived abroad for 17 years, going "back home" can sometimes feel like going to a completely foreign country. Things that were once normal feel odd. You find you're no longer used to the way things are done in your former home. And sometimes, you realize that things have changed so much since you last[...]
This week, Tiffany's son Aurelio starts first grade! What is Italian elementary school like and how is it different from elementary school in the US? Will native English-speaking Aurelio have to study English as a second language? What about religion? How much homework is assigned? Do they have to go to school on Saturday? And what's[...]
After her month-long mega-trip to the States in August, Tiffany regales our listeners with the adventures (and many mis-adventures) of the international travel aspect of the trip. What kind of documentation do you need to get on an international flight? How difficult is it for a non-American citizen to get into the US under the[...]
When you move abroad, chances are you'll spend at least a certain amount of time living in a space that doesn't feel like your own: temporary lodgings, a rented room in someone else's flat, or perhaps your dream apartment—that just happens to be filled with furniture and art you abhor. Today's guest, interior designer Rebecca[...]
Planning (or hoping) to move abroad? We're guessing you have a lot of questions. Well today, we try to answer them. We rebroadcast one of our most helpful episodes, an interview with serial expat Lori-Lee Elliott (formerly Lori-Lee Emshey), who is currently on her 17th expat assignment. She shares her expert tips on how to[...]
In the wake of menacing Hurricane Ida, Katy relives her own experiences with hurricanes in the Big Easy. When she was living in New Orleans several years ago, Hurricane Nate mercifully missed the city, but being in its path brought about both fear and cultural revelation for one temporary resident, your intrepid host Katy Sewall. It[...]
Katy interviews Antonio Sersale, son of the founder of the legendary Le Sirenuse hotel in Postiano. From a young age, Antonio was groomed to take over the family business, but resisted for years, convinced the life of a hotelier wasn’t for him. Then, one day he changed his mind. During a recent stay at this[...]
American Sunny Strong studied abroad in Florence in 1963, leaving her boyfriend Mike at home. Amazing (especially for us), Sunny captured some of her memories at the time on reel-to-reel tapes, a true time capsule that includes her reaction to the news that Kennedy had been assassinated, and what it was like to live through[...]
A short memoir by Beth Ann Fennelly, from her book Heating & Cooling: 52 Micro Memoirs, inspires a discussion on what makes something glamorous rather than trashy, and why tiny insignificant moments, witnessed unexpectedly, can sometimes stay with us for a lifetime. ***This episode was sponsored by LUGZ, offering comfortable, versatile and affordable footwear, from[...]
Learning a foreign language is one of the most desired goals most people have—and that's particularly true for travel lovers. But why do so many people fail in this quest? Today we use linguistics and speech pathology to think about learning languages with special guest Lisa Wilcox. Sound boring? Turns out, it is actually really funny.[...]
The Borgias are one of the most fascinating and depraved families in Italian history, and they ruled the Catholic Church. This family has been portrayed in two recent tv shows, but what's the true story? Did they really engage in incest? Did Cesare really murder his brother Juan? Was Lucrezia an over-sexed poisoner or an[...]
We often talk about North American expats in Europe or Asia. But what about when the shoe is on the other foot? Today we talk to Sabine, a French expat living in New Orleans. Do Americans need more positive feedback than the French? Sabine explains the communication issues she faces with her American husband. Also,[...]
We all have fantasies when we're young about how we want our life to turn out. Some are far-fetched, some are probably doable. But ow much of life is us trying to fulfill the fantasies of our youth? And what do we do when those fantasies go unfulfilled? Do we look back with regret, or[...]
Writing while traveling. Many of us do it. Professor Daniel Butterworth teaches us how to do it better. Whether journaling is the way you document your travels, you're an aspiring travel writer, or you're working on a new book, you can't miss this episode. Show correction: Ghirlandaio painted the Santa Maria Novella frescoes Dan refers[...]
What mistakes do museum visitors make? Tiffany Parks, a regular museum visitor and someone who has led tours through the Vatican Museums upwards of a thousand time, shares her expert tips to make your museum visit more enjoyable. We also debate which is better, taking pictures of everything or putting the camera away and living[...]
Can you travel across nine time zones without more than a day's worth of jetlag? Tiffany is convinced that you can (without taking any pills). After decades of making regular trips across the ocean (at least until 2020), she's got the avoidance of jetlag down to an art—even little Aurelio never suffers from it. Claudio[...]
Did you hear about the doctor who unknowingly bought an original Caravaggio painting at an estate sale? Yes. That happened. Today we talk not only about this unbelievable story, but also about the allure of estate sales. Katy adores them. Tiffany's never been to one. What is it that intrigues Katy so much about them,[...]
Everyone has their favorite book, author, or series, but when children fall in love with a book, that love can border on obsession. (And how lovely that is to witness!) Of course all demographics, from toddlers to great-great-grandmothers, can count Harry Potter mega-fans in their numbers, but for kids, that Harry Potter magic was extra[...]
Inspired by a passage in the book Outline by Rachel Cusk, today we discuss the complexity of living life in two (or more!) languages, and if you can truly be yourself in every language you speak. Are you a different person when you speak a second language? Does it depend on at what age you start[...]
It's the biggest soccer (aka football) (aka calcio) match of the year as Italy faces off against England in the European Cup. But who do cheer for if you're an Englishwoman living in Italy for more than half your life, with an Italian husband and two half-Italian kids? To find out, we chat with Julia[...]
Are you someone who has a hard time when things come to an end? Even when what's coming next might be just as good, if not better? Or possibly even when what is ending was never very good in the first place? Tiffany and Katy are both prone to nostalgia over endings, and as Aurelio finishes up[...]
We hear from five-year-old Aurelio and his friend Jacopo on their very last day of Kindergarten—are they feeling the same sense of nostalgia that Tiffany's feeling, or are they just thrilled it's finally summer vacation? Also, Tiffany explains what preschool and Kindergarten are like in Italy, and how those very first years of school differ[...]
Are you a person who always travels to a new place? Or do you prefer to revisit the same place over and over? Today we explore the value of going to the same place again and again. We discuss how going deeper into the culture of a place and getting to know its people on[...]
Last week Katy regaled listeners with the story of her adventure aboard the Sea Star, a 1965 classic yacht, and her experiences cruising the inland passage from Seattle to Alaska. If you haven't listened yet, you can catch that episode here. In this mini-episode, she answers questions about this unforgettable trip, from practical things like[...]
What do you do when your partner of almost a decade—and husband of only a few short months—tells you he thinks you made a mistake in getting married? Well, if you're today's guest, you pack your bags and start traveling the world. You might never even come back. Today we sit down with Asia Dawn[...]
To conclude our series of wedding-related mini-episodes, Tiffany regales you with the most common traditions and rituals surrounding weddings that took place in Ancient Rome. What words did the bride and groom recite to each other at the moment of marriage? What color was the bride's veil (and her shoes)? What did the bride, groom, and[...]
A private yacht called the Sea Star, a handful of strangers who would soon be friends, the inland passage to Alaska, and a few whales that like to show off—these are the ingredients in Katy's first post-pandemic trip. Although observing humpback whales in the wild has long been a dream of hers, she had no[...]
Last week we talked about food, cake, invitations, and the dreaded colors of black and purple. This week, on the third installment in the Italian wedding mini-series, we delve into the differences between Italian and American weddings in terms of ceremony, bomboniere (aka very elaborate party favors), photography and—perhaps most intriguingly—who pays for the wedding. Find[...]
Make-up. Unpleasant social obligations. Commuting. Lots of things fell by the wayside during the pandemic. Lots of things that seemed absolutely necessary parts of life "before Covid" suddenly were either impossible or simply irrelevant. Now that life, for many people around the world, is starting to go back to normal, we can't help but wonder:[...]
For the second installment in our series of Italian wedding-themed mini-episodes, Tiffany looks back on her wedding in Rome almost exactly ten years ago, and how she tried (and sometimes failed) to incorporate both the stylish American wedding trends she loved and the strict Italian wedding traditions and norms that her soon-to-be in-laws expected. Throw[...]
Last week we talked about the labels expat vs immigrant, and specifically, why Tiffany, after nearly 17 years in Italy, still considers herself more of an expat than an immigrant. Today, we replay an episode from way back in 2015, the very first time we debated the expat vs immigrant question, and specifically, if the[...]
On occasion of her 10th wedding anniversary, Tiffany talks about Italian wedding traditions, particularly the ones popular in the mid-20th century. Ever wonder why Italians give sugared almonds at weddings and what they represent? Curious to know what a bride must never wear before the wedding day, and what a groom should carry in his[...]
Tiffany moved to Italy as an expat in the fall 2004—nearly 17 years ago. Since then, she's married an Italian and started a family, bought an apartment in Italy, and become an Italian citizenship, so... is it time to change that label from expat to immigrant? In response to a listener email, Tiffany and Katy[...]
Today we continue our conversation with Anna Sale, host of the popular podcast Death, Sex, and Money and author of bestselling book Let's Talk About Hard Things. On Part 1 of this interview, Anna goes into the nitty-gritty of talks about sex and death—why they are so hard to have, and how to make them easier.[...]
Can you talk about hard things? Can you negotiate your salary with a new boss? Can you tactfully comfort someone who’s just had a devastating loss? Can you be open about your sexual needs with your partner? Anna Sale is the host of the Death, Sex, and Money, a award-winning podcast that “explores the big[...]
What was it like to work in an international airport in the time of Covid? For this mini-episode, we're joined by someone who can answer that question with first-hand experience. Today's guest is Valentina, a staff member for a major Italian airline who worked at Rome's Fiumicino Airport throughout the pandemic. She shares her unprecedented[...]
One year ago, we asked our listeners, What does a day in the life of someone under lockdown look like? Listeners from around the world sent us a peek into their lives in the form of voice memos, and we included our own auditory snapshots as well. This year, we once again sent out a[...]
Have you ever taken off your clothes for the camera? Today Katy reaches back into the archives of her long career as a radio producer and pulls out an interview with a boudoir photographer, and one of her clients. On this mini-episode, you'll learn who is likely to get a boudoir photography session, and why[...]
The wait is over—at long last, you can finally go to Italy again! But is it a good idea? According to a recent announcement, the Italian government is not waiting for the EU "green pass" to welcome travelers from outside the EU this summer, but are instead launching their own version a month earlier, that[...]
Tiffany joins us from the Spanish Steps for this mini-episode, where glorious azalea plants are spilling down the steps and there is nary a tourist in sight. May 2021 the first—and most likely the last—time it will be possible to see the Spanish Steps this way. As Tiffany marvels at the spectacle, she also marvels[...]
This week we sit down with Riley Morton, a freelance documentary producer and cinematographer who kicked off his career two decades ago in the adventure sports space, producing documentaries and television about climbing, skiing, trail running, and adventure travel. Over the past decade, he has branched out, producing his own documentaries and collaborating on major[...]
Bestselling author and friend of the show Jess Walter joins us for this mini-episode to talk about the reluctance so many people seem to have over getting the Covid vaccine. Jess shares a great tip for convincing the vaccine-hesitant people in your life to get the vaccine. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats,[...]
Over in the US, Katy is now fully vaccinated against Covid-19. Hurrah! Tiffany in Italy, meanwhile, still has a long wait ahead of her. How long is anyone's guess. Today they discuss how Katy's life will change now that she's vaccinated—perhaps a lot, perhaps not much, it's not easy to know just yet. As well[...]
Want to write a 90k-word novel? If you've got 46 days (the length of Lent) Tiffany will tell you how to do it. This year during the period of Lent, Tiffany came up with the crazy idea to draft her next novel by Easter. That meant writing nearly 2000 words per day and, if that[...]
One year ago, we asked our listeners, What does a day in the life of someone under lockdown look like? Listeners from around the world sent us a peek into their lives in the form of voice memos, and we included our own auditory snapshots as well. Today we replay that episode to see what[...]
Want to move abroad but have no idea how to support yourself when you get there? For this mini-episode, we are joined by David McNeill, creator of Expat Empire, a consulting service for aspiring expats, and host of the Expat Empire podcast (check out this recent episode in which he interviews Tiffany). From finding a[...]
Inspired by our conversation with Elizabeth Miki Brina, author of the new memoir Speak, Okinawa, we turn again to cross-cultural relationships and families, and the challenges that they bring up for those involved, many of them unexpected. We also consider how much those problems can change and worsen, depending on which country the immigrant spouse[...]
Inspired by last week's episode, an interview with Elizabeth Miki Brian, the author of the new memoir Speak, Okinawa, and the challenges she faced growing up the daughter of an American father and an Okinawan mother, Tiffany looks at pitfalls that can crop up in any cross-cultural relationship, particularly when one member of the couple leaves his[...]
Elizabeth Miki Brina's new memoir Speak Okinawa is a "searing, deeply candid memoir about a young woman's journey to understanding her complicated parents—her mother, an Okinawan war bride, her father, a Vietnam veteran—and her own, fraught cultural heritage." We sit down with the author for a probing interview that looks at the pitfalls of cross-cultural marriage,[...]
As a follow-up to Monday's episode, What Do I Want to Do Today?, on this mini-episode, Katy presents a radio piece she produced several years ago, in which she is physically present—and recording in audio—the birth of a child. First she chats with the parents-to-be about their decision to attempt a natural childbirth, as well as[...]
When trying to come up with an idea, whether it's for an article you're trying to pitch, a school assignment, a book you want to write, or any creative endeavor, have you ever just asked yourself: What do I want to do today? Today we talk about how this seemingly simple question can not only[...]
Italy is in lockdown (again), but this time it feels very different. The rules are mostly the same, but the mood on the street is completely changed. The restaurants and many of the shops may be closed, movement may be restricted, but the citizens are rejecting the call not to socialize, and (so far) the[...]
So, you've decided you want to move abroad but... where do you start? It's not an easy subject to tackle, so today we've asked an expert. On this week's episode, we sit down with expert expat Jessica Drucker, author of How to Move Abroad and Why it's the Best Thing You'll Do. She's also the host of[...]
Today we celebrate seven years of The Bittersweet Life! To mark this milestone, on this mini-episode we ask each other seven questions, each one inspired by the legendary seven hills of Rome! Listen in and you may just learn something new about us! **This episode was sponsored by Lingoda—the #1 trusted European language school with[...]
For much of the pandemic, Italy has been keeping their numbers (relatively) under control, and the United States, on the other hand, has seen their numbers climb and climb without an end in sight. But now the shoe is on the other foot, so it would seem. The vaccination roll-out in the US is actually[...]
Tiffany looks back on the week that it all changed in Italy—one year ago right now. Did any of us think, a year later, that restrictions, yellow, orange, and red zones, masks and all the rest of it, would still be a part of our lives one year later? She muses on what was going[...]
Walking through the halls of a museum like the Uffizi Gallery in Florence—when we're not in the middle of a pandemic, that is—is generally about as artistic an experience as rush hour at Grand Central Station. Florence, a relatively small city, is overwhelmed by the number of tourists who visit it (in a normal year)[...]
Katy gets into the nitty-gritty of feedback from her own point of view, digging into her own past as a senior radio producer. Today's mini-episode features part of the conversation that was cut from Monday's full-length episode, an interview with Dr. Therese Huston, author of Let’s Talk: Make Effective Feedback Your Superpower. Katy looks back at[...]
How can effective feedback change your life? Today, we sit down with Dr. Theresa Huston, author of the new book Let’s Talk: Make Effective Feedback Your Superpower, a "game-changing model for giving effective feedback to peers, employees, or even your boss—without offending or demotivating." In it, she explains how to tell someone that they're not meeting[...]
Oscar Wilde called it the "holiest place in Rome" and Percy Shelley said it would make someone apt to fall in love with death to think of being buried in so sweet a place...and not soon later he was buried there at only 29. But the most famous resident of Rome's Non-Catholic Cemetery is of[...]
Reading books can inspire you to travel, and travel can inspire you to read books. It's what we call a delicious cycle. Today we talk about the books (and other types of art) that have inspired not only particular trips, but the things that we have sought out when on that trip, or even things[...]
On our "super secret" Truth or Dare episode from a few years ago (available only to our Patreon patrons and long-time donors), Katy did something incredibly scary, heart-poundingly so: she called someone she'd had a brief but electrifying encounter with—completely out of the blue, 20 years later. As a hint of what the bonus content[...]
Some psychologists say that anticipation of a desired event can often bring more happiness than experiencing the event itself. And if that's the case, can we conclude that planning a trip is even more fun that actually taking the trip? Inspired by a recent article in the New York Times, Travel and the Art of[...]
Every two weeks, an endangered language disappears from the planet, when the last person who speaks it dies. And one third of the world's languages are endangered. On this mini-episode, we talk about the world's languages that are most at risk of disappearing, and why you might want to learn one of them. If you're[...]
One of the greatest rewards of being an expat is mastering a foreign language. But what happens when you live in a foreign language so long, so cut off from your own culture, that you start to lose your fluency in your native tongue? Think it couldn't happen to you? Join us for a chat that[...]
Today we continue our virtual walk through Rome, were we just happen to run into a few more world-famous authors. What are the odds? Katy's brilliant sound-mixing skills, Tiffany's knowledge of the Eternal City, and the commentary of some of today's most brilliant authors come together in one of our most delightful episodes of all[...]
Katy and Tiffany take to the streets of Rome once again, and this time, they encounter a slew of fascinating and important people, all former guests of the show! Through the magic of radio—a cache of Rome sounds, snippets from old interviews, and Katy's brilliant sound-mixing skills—this walking tour of Rome was taped NOT on[...]
TripAdvisor might be some people's go-to app for planning their vacations, but Tiffany prefers to steer clear of the anonymous travel review site if possible. We mentioned this on a previous episode, and a listener wrote in to ask why. Tiffany shares her opinions in this mini-episode. **This episode was sponsored by Clyde Hill Publishing—partner[...]
Is there a specific thing you like to buy when you travel to a new place, like a magnet or a snow globe? Or do you seek out unique and locally made art and objects? Perhaps you prefer the type of souvenir that you can eat once you get back home. Maybe you wait to[...]
There's a new man in the White House this morning—and a new woman too! Just like we did four years ago during Donald Trump's inauguration, we recorded our live reactions to Joe Biden's inauguration via voice memo to each other, a conversation in real time across the ocean. It happened at 6pm in Rome, at[...]
A missing person, a grieving family, a curious clue: a half-finished manuscript set in Paris... these are just three of the intriguing ingredients of Liam Callanan's new novel, Paris by the Book. The author joins us today to chat about his latest book, and muses on what it's like to write a book that takes[...]
Was Pope Francis really arrested by the FBI last weekend? Did all the lights in the Vatican go out to hide this event from the world? And most importantly, did Pope Francis really change all the votes cast from Italy in the November election from Trump to Biden? We're guessing you know the answers to[...]
Do Italian parents really take their toddlers out to restaurants at 10pm? Do they really go home for lunch during the work day and take a nap? Thanks to an idea sent in by a listener, today we dig into some of the norms of Italian daily life and how it compares to life in[...]
Whether a funky mug from Prague, a hand-painted ceramic bowl from Mexico, or a random dish picked up off the street in Japan, there's got to be one special souvenir that has a place in your heart and on your shelf, and takes you back to wherever you found it. Thanks to a listener suggestion,[...]
After the catastrophe that was 2020, we go back and listen to the resolutions we made one year ago. Did we manage to accomplish ANY of them? You'll have to listen to find out. We also make plans for the year ahead, and even dare to make a few resolutions, although we are humbled by[...]
It's finally the end of 2020!! We made it! But the close of what many are calling the worst year in living memory won't be rung in as many people would like to: carousing and celebrating in the streets. Instead, most of us are stuck inside, especially those of us in Italy where curfews and[...]
Lots of out-of-work tour guides are now offering virtual tours of Rome (and, I imagine, cities all around the world), as a way to keep their businesses alive, keep their knowledge fresh, and help people who are stuck at home feel like they are traveling. But way back in April, while we were all stuck[...]
It's Christmas Eve and Tiffany interviews one little child who is looking forward to the big day. Enjoy this mini-burst of holiday cheer and Merry Christmas from your friends at The Bittersweet Life. -------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us an email to get the conversation[...]
Just in time for last-minute Christmas shopping, the "world's librarian" Nancy Pearl, who is also a best-selling author herself, shares her favorite books for giving (or reading yourself) this holiday season (find titles and links below). Nancy also shares her advice for testing out a new friendship: give your new friend a book for Christmas,[...]
Katy catches up with Matthew P. Woerner, the writer and director of Monday's audio play "After Midnight," who also happens to be a childhood friend. On this mini-episode, they discuss their mutual love for old-time radio, and hypothesize on what makes radio theater unique. Matthew talks about his inspiration for "After Midnight," and how he[...]
Get a cup of your favorite hot drink, find a cozy corner, and sit back and enjoy a totally different kind of show. Today we're presenting a special radio play inspired by the Golden Age of radio drama, the very medium that made Katy fall in love with radio and go into a career as[...]
In a time when leisure travel (especially international leisure travel) is all but non-existent, some brave and insistent travel-lovers are going anyway. Today we chat with long-time listener and past guest Lynn Fortunato, who flew to Italy from her home in San Francisco just before the second wave hit, with a one-way ticket and not[...]
There are lots of new sights we are all quickly getting used to during this unprecedented time. People in masks, plexiglass partitions, ubiquitous hand sanitizer dispensers... but what about all the things we used to see everywhere that are now just gone? This week we remark on what sights have disappeared from our streets, and[...]
Winter can be long at the best of times. But during a pandemic with no end in sight, it can be brutal. Katy is joined briefly by author Jess Walter and the two try and come up with ways to get through this long, dark, and solitary winter. **This episode was sponsored by Clyde Hill[...]
We all make goals—or, at least most of us do—but what happens when we decide to scratch a goal off the list without ever completing it? Whether because we're simply not interested in having a particular experience anymore, our passions have led us in another direction, or we have (sob!) "aged out" of the possibility[...]
On this extra-short mini-episode, Katy and Tiffany express their thanks for things in their lives that they are unexpectedly treasuring this year. Sometimes it's the little things, sometimes it's the big things, but we can all find something to be grateful, even in the midst of the craziest year of our lives. **This episode was[...]
About five years ago, Clare Brown left a predictable life in the UK to move to Split, Croatia in search of writing, exploration, and adventure. A longtime listener of the show, she has been a regular guest over the years and has inspired the listeners of The Bittersweet Life with her daring yet highly relatable[...]
Italy is in the midst of a wicked second wave of Covid. In fact, it makes spring's wave seem like a bump by comparison. Instead of instituting a national lockdown, as they did last spring, Italy's leaders have opted for zoned restrictions, ranging from light restrictions in the yellow zones (Rome, for example), to a[...]
Do you have a hard time falling asleep at night? Or perhaps, like Katy, you sleep fitfully, waking multiple times a night and having trouble falling back to sleep again. Or maybe, like Tiffany, you're one of the lucky ones, and sleep comes quickly and easily. (But don't get too smug, you could end up[...]
Katy and Tiffany send voice memos back and forth across the Atlantic as one of the most consequential presidential elections in American history is finally called for Joe Biden. For Katy, it's early on a Saturday morning, for Tiffany, it's almost dinnertime, and once again they wonder if the time of day that something happens[...]
Photographer and visual storyteller Cyndie Burkhardt was living in New York City feeling unsatisfied with her life. Rather than continue to struggle, she decided to leave. Her goal: to visit 12 countries in 12 months and rediscover herself along the way. Nine months in, the coronavirus stopped her in her tracks. On today's episode we[...]
If you live abroad, sometimes you have to stay up all night in order to keep an eye on the fate of your home country. And then there are the rare occasions when you have to stay up all night even if you are in the states. No one said 2020 was going to be[...]
It's the eve of the US presidential election, what the vast majority of Americans consider to be the most important election of their lifetimes. But what happens when you're an expat, living across the world while something so important is happening? Even if you exercise your right to vote from abroad, it can still be[...]
It's almost Halloween, and to assuage the fears of anyone who is afraid of rats (like Tiffany, see previous episode!) Katy shares a fascinating and little-known recording of rat laughter (yes, you read that right). On this mini-episode, she also shares a touching piece of short fiction she wrote during lockdown that most likely many[...]
Are you afraid of the dark? Spider or rats? Being buried alive or drowning? Encountering a wild ferocious beast? Are you afraid of ghosts? Someone lurking in the shadows who is about to jump out and attack? In honor of Halloween week, this episode is all about our fears, whether they be rational or irrational.[...]
Considered for centuries to be the most mysterious sculpture in the world, The Veiled Christ by Giuseppe Sanmartino (1753) is an astoundingly realistically marble creation of the crucified Christ covered with a nearly transparent veil. The depiction is so uncannily real that for nearly 200 years, it was believed by many to have been created[...]
"All things cute and cuddly" was the surprising topic requested by listener Sara, who supports us at the $50 level on Patreon. Choosing the topic of an episode is just one of many bonuses we offer our Patreon supporters, and as this episode proves, we take that pledge seriously and hold no veto power. The[...]
What are book tours like in the time of Covid? For this week's mini-episode, Katy sits down with bestselling author Jess Walter to discuss what it's like to do book events in his office while staring into a computer screen or to sign 6000 books in one go. They also consider that, even in a[...]
This week we give all our listeners a peek into some of the extra bonus content that our Patreon donors are receiving. Every month we offer one or more bonus episodes exclusively for our Patreon supporters, and today we are sharing one of those with our entire audience. Way back in 2015, we taped a[...]
Moving abroad is already a daunting experience at the best of times. Imagine doing it during a deadly pandemic. For this mini-interview we are joined by listener Gabriela Proietti who took the leap and moved to Rome this past January, only to be forced back home to the States when Coronavirus exploded in Italy in[...]
As devastating as this pandemic has been, to our lives, our loved ones, and our livelihoods, is there a silver lining? In the midst of the suffering and the uncertainty, sometimes you have to let yourself see the good too. Regular listeners will know that Tiffany is an eternal optimist. Today, she and Katy discuss[...]
It's a much-told legend that Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci used to rob graves in order to dissect bodies in secret so they could achieve anatomical accuracy in their art. But is it actually true? On this mini-episode, we are joined again by curator Jennifer Dasal of the Art Curious podcast, and author of the[...]
Is the Mona Lisa in the Louvre fake? Was impressionist painter Claude Monet a radical? And was Caravaggio—our show's muse—murdered? Art history holds as many mysteries and baffling stories as it does masterpieces, and Jennifer Dasal, museum curator and host of the wildly popular ArtCurious podcast knows all the best ones. In this week’s episode[...]
It's that time of year again, but this year everything is different. In Italy, kids are now back in the classroom full-time but the rules are complicated and very strict. In this mini-episode, Tiffany gives the low-down on what Italian schools are doing to keep kids (and their loved ones) safe in the time of[...]
Ready or not, election season is upon us! And it's never been easier for Americans living abroad to vote—well, in some states. Tiffany is lucky as Arizona (where she's registered to vote) allows online voting through a secure portal. Other states have more complex and lengthy processes, but bottom line: no matter where you are[...]
Katy, and all of our fellow-West Coast listeners, are seeing massive tracts of their states destroyed, smoke blotting out the sun, and highly hazardous breathing conditions. If they couldn't go out to dinner or to a pub during lockdown, now they can't even take a walk around their block or sit in their backyard. But[...]
From lucky and unlucky numbers to numbers that make almost magical equations, from significant date to the "perfect" numbers, this week's episode is all about, well, numbers. And the fact that this is Episode Number 333 may—or may not—have anything to do with this week's choice of topic. Perhaps most intriguing of all: did you[...]
Pompeii, an entire ancient city preserved exactly as it was when it was covered in lava and ash during the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. Even for a seasoned traveler like Tiffany, the site inspires awe, wonder, and fascination. Come along as Tiffany visits this ancient city for the first time. --------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH[...]
Daily life during a devastating pandemic—something nearly no one alive has ever experienced before—is captured poignantly and artistically by Bill Hayes in his new book, How We Live Now: Scenes from the Pandemic. Today we catch up with the author and street photographer to learn about how the book was conceived, what inspired it, and[...]
Monday's Conversation Starters episode just didn't cover all the things we want to know about each other! In today's mini-episode we continue the question-and-answer drill to delve deep into what makes us us...and we get lost in several tangents along the way. --------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the[...]
Whether you're looking for a great question to break the ice on a first date or just want to get to know your best friend, parent, or spouse even better, today we ask each other odd and unusual questions that cause us to reflect on our own lives, desires, and idiosyncrasies. In this episode, we[...]
When our listeners reach out to us to share how we've inspired them, delighted them, challenged them, or simply kept them company—well, it doesn't get much better than that for a podcaster. On this week's mini-episode, Katy shares some of our most heart-warming recent listener mail. And we always look forward to receiving more. Write[...]
A record number of Americans—42%—now hold passports (up from 27% in 2007) but much good it will do them. In the wake of this unprecedented pandemic, there are only a handful of countries in the entire world that are welcoming Americans with no quarantine requirement. As a result, most US residents have traded in their[...]
Tiffany is 19 and desperate to meet up with her boyfriend in Italy in the final weeks of summer before heading back to university in the fall. She's worked all summer and saved enough for the flight. She's got the tickets and a place to stay... what could possibly go wrong? Five flights, a bus[...]
The uncertainty of the expat life is magnified by life during a devastating global pandemic. But how often to you get to hear from the same person, just before and then during a major catastrophe that touches virtually every person in the world? Today we're joined by Stephanie Fuccio, Italian-American long-term expat (mostly in Asia),[...]
A lot of us are walking more these days, in some cases, around and around the same neighborhood. On today's mini-episode, Katy takes us outside to the blocks around her Seattle home, exploring and commenting on the tiny little creative things that are happening in her neighborhood. --------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats,[...]
Sometimes you just need to tune out the cacophony of terrifying news and the anxiety over an uncertain future, and play a silly game. Don't you agree? This week, Katy and Tiffany take a much-needed break from the craziness that is life in 2020 to play an old favorite: This or That? And in this[...]
On a magical summer evening in Rome to celebrate her birthday, Tiffany has a sudden revelation. She shares it—and what Christian Dior's cologne Fahrenheit has to do with it—on this week's mini-episode. --------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us an email to get the conversation started.[...]
Is Rome back to normal? Is that "new normal" what we expected it to be? This week's topic was sparked by an article in Esquire Magazine, "Things Are Not As Expected": Inside Rome's New Normal. We dissect the writer's claim that the only people who go out are teenagers and that the city's police are[...]
In response to a listener question, Katy talks about what she's doing during the pandemic and the ensuing lockdown to keep her spirits up and get through the day. On this intimate and personal mini-episode, Katy shares the books she's been reading, the podcasts she's listening to, and the writing projects she's working on. She even[...]
What's the difference between having fun and having a happy life? This week's guest, award-winning journalist and author Diane Cardwell, tackles this and many other life questions when she joins us for our latest author interview. After ending her marriage and giving up her attempts to have a child, Cardwell realizes that the thing that[...]
Tiffany finds herself just outside the walls of Vatican City on a summer morning and marvels at the dramatic change in the neighborhood. In an area that once fed almost exclusively off of tourist dollars, from cafes to restaurants, from souvenir shops to tour agencies, even now, the dearth of tourists is disconcerting—and it's not[...]
If you tuned in last week, you heard us commiserate about the awful and sometimes destructive teachers of our past. If that episode left a little blue (it did us!), then take heart because today we're talking all about the best teachers we ever had (and there are a lot more of them!) From teachers[...]
Today Katy looks at collections, and the people who keep them. What makes people collect things—or not? After asking our listeners to write in about their own personal collections, she realized that unprecedented time we are living through might be more conducive to letting things go rather than collecting them. Nevertheless, she talks about her[...]
We all remember our favorite teachers, but what about the horrible ones? The ones who crushed our ambitions, treated us unfairly, or were just plain mean. Tiffany tells the story of her abusive voice teacher in grad school, an experience that may have changed the trajectory of her entire life, and Katy talks about the[...]
Have you noticed the birds more during lockdown? If your lockdown is over, do you find you're more aware of them than you were before? On this mini-episode, Tiffany and Aurelio stop to watch (and listen to!) the birds, and Tiffany takes the opportunity to talk a little bit about one of her favorite places[...]
Has anything traumatic ever happened to you when you were traveling—a natural disaster, a personal tragedy, or maybe even a global pandemic—and as a result you never want to go back there? Today we hear from a listener who had an encounter with a traumatized young student as she was "evacuating" Italy back in March[...]
Do podcasts put you to sleep? Well, there's one out there that aims to do just that, Drew Ackerman's Sleep With Me podcast. Sleep with Me tells "bedtime stories to help grown ups fall asleep in the deep, dark night," perfect for podcast-lovers who are also insomniacs. This week, Drew put his own sleepy spin on[...]
We all think we know if we're an introvert or an extrovert. But what does it really mean? On this episode, we dig into the true meaning of these pervasive personality types, and they might not mean exactly what you think they mean. We also explore how the Covid pandemic and its resulting quarantine might[...]
What's it like to visit the Colosseum in the time of corona? This iconic monument usually crams thousands of tourists in at a time, making the experience hot, sweaty, and often uninspiring (even if it is one of the most inspiring sights in the whole world.) Now that the Colosseum has reopened after months of[...]
What is the reality of living alone during this pandemic, when your entire town, state, or even country goes into a strict quarantine? What are the worst days like, and how do you stay healthy, safe, and sane when loneliness and the longing for human connection are prominent parts of every day? Today we talk[...]
Wondering what's going on in Seattle's police-free zone? The national media's reporting on the CHOP (Capital Hill Organized Protest) has, at times, been inaccurate. Today you can hear the truth from someone who's there every day. On this mini-episode, we are joined again by Seattle-based NPR reporter Casey Martin for the inside story. Casey has[...]
Whether you regularly contemplate your own mortality (like Katy), or give it very little thought (like Tiffany), we all have death on the mind more than usual during this time of pandemic. We may be worried about losing the older members of our families, overwhelmed by the staggering number of lives Covid-19 has already claimed, or[...]
You've heard all about how Katy and Tiffany spent their quarantines (or are still spending them, in Katy's case), but what was quarantine like for a someone living alone in Rome's lively and quaint Trastevere neighborhood while working from home? On this mini-episode, Tiffany checks in with her friend Amy Knauff (who appeared on Episode[...]
In cities like Rome, tourists are part of the city’s identity, its reality, its way of life. When they go away—and don’t come back—the city will inevitably change and adapt. Will the countless AirBNBs turn back into regular rentals, and will that in turn cause locals to move back to the historic center? Will the[...]
Protests over the murder of George Floyd, a black man in Minneapolis, have sprung up in cities across the United States. In Seattle, peaceful protests calling for justice have also generated violence, looting, and clashes with police, undermining from the message of the Black Lives Matters activists. Public Radio reporter Casey Martin has been in[...]
Why does time pass more slowly or quickly depending on what we are doing? Why is it that we sometimes completely lose track of the time, and what does it mean to truly live in the present? Are the past, the present, and the future all happening at the same time (at least in our[...]
What can you expect when you go out to eat in Italy during Phase Two? What about if you want to go to a museum, get your hair cut, or just grab a coffee at your local bar? What's the deal with shopping and trying on clothes? On this mini-episode, we give you the nitty-gritty on[...]
Italy has officially reopened for business. While masks are required in public places, social distancing is (supposedly) non-negotiable, and tourism is still non-existent, life is nevertheless quickly returning to normal. Perhaps too quickly? After Tiffany’s first aperitivo in Rome since the beginning of lockdown, she’s a bit apprehensive about how carelessly many of her fellow[...]
Memory is the buzz word on The Bittersweet Life this week! Monday's episode was all about autobiographical memory, and on this mini-episode, Katy's dad Dale stops by to talk about the challenges and rewards of memorizing a speech of prose as opposed to rhyming rhythmic poetry. He also explains why he chooses to memorize things and[...]
Why do we remember certain things and forget others? Do some people simply have a better memory than others, or is it something we can practice and get better at? Perhaps most intriguing of all: how reliable are our memories really? Do our stories change to fit our perception of ourselves? This week, we muse[...]
Rome has finally opened up for walks in the center. Even so, when Tiffany finally has a chance to wander through the city, she finds it all but empty at midday. From the Spanish Steps to Piazza Venezia, from the Pantheon to Piazza Navona, Tiffany finds empty streets, chirping birds, and precious few residents out[...]
With international and even domestic travel all but ground to a halt in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, the question on everyone's lips is: what is travel going to be like once everything is back to "normal"? Will it become unaffordable to fly? Will museums limit the number of people who can enter at[...]
What's going on in Seattle right now? More to the point, what's going on with Katy in Seattle? On this mini-episode, Katy checks in with what's in store for the city in the near future, as well as how she's doing, and what she's doing to stay safe, sane, and well during this crazy time.[...]
How do you transcend a childhood marred by addiction and go on to pursue the life that is calling to you? This week, Katy sits down with bestselling author Stephanie Danler to talk about her forthcoming memoir Stray, but also to discuss what it takes to make the hard decisions that will allow you to[...]
Italy's lockdown restrictions are finally about to begin (and, more essentially, we finally know what they entail). In this mini-episode, Tiffany goes through the new rules, as well as her reactions to them. (Hint: she's slightly frustrated, and plenty perplexed.) She also hears from Aurelio about the places he's most looking forward to going once[...]
Longing to wander the streets of Rome, visit its most beautiful squares, and marvel at its monuments? Since, for now, that isn't possible for any of us (even those of us who live in Rome) we've put together a virtual auditory tour of the Eternal City. The magic of radio brings Katy's expert editing skills and[...]
Today Tiffany talks about one of her favorite hobbies: memorizing poetry! She lays out the plethora of surprising benefits she reaps from this personal practice, as well as a list of tips on how to start out memorizing your own favorite poems. Be sure to listen all the way to the end to hear a[...]
When will Italy reopen—and what will that reopening entail? These are the questions that Italy's residents have been asking themselves constantly lately. Rumor has it, Italy's country-wide lockdown will come to an end on May 4th, although this is not official yet. Hypotheses abound and no one really knows what to expect. Although one thing[...]
With Aurelio home from school, Tiffany is taking the opportunity to teach him how to read and write in English—before Italian school gets its hooks into him. She explains why she's taking this so seriously, as well as some of the exercises she (with no pedagogy training) has come up with, and the biggest surprises[...]
We all have those close friendships that survive over time, despite the fact that we live half a world apart. And now—with most of us living under lockdown for the foreseeable future—all of our friendships are long-distance now. Is there a secret ingredient to making those relationships last and deepen over time? What are the[...]
Rome is the center of the Catholic world, the home the pope, the city of St. Peter. Easter time draws enormous crowds of faithful to participate in the high holiday services and be blessed by the pope himself. But this year, Easter is cancelled. Or almost. Easter services will still be performed in the Vatican[...]
In the second part of this Day in the Life episode, Katy offers a rare glimpse into what it’s like to edit and a long piece of tape, extracting its gems to transform it into something engaging. Karen, a US expat in the Dolomites, cycles home from work, hoping not to be stopped by the[...]
What does a day in the life of someone under lockdown look like? That's what we asked our listeners for today's episode, offering a peek into their lives throughout the course of a day as well as our own. From Lynn in San Francisco as she studies Italian to Scott trying to find some space[...]
What happens when you CAN’T shop? When all the stores in your town are closed and your supermarket stops selling anything beyond the basic necessities? Even major online shops are running out of merchandise or have month-long waiting periods for delivery. What’s an eager consumer to do? And a perhaps more interesting question: is this[...]
An astounding half of the world's population is now on some form of legal lockdown, quarantine, shelter-in-place, or self-isolation. With many of our listeners new to Quarantine Life, Tiffany, who as of today has been on lockdown for 21 days, offers some practical advice on today's episode. Tune in for tricks and tips for listeners[...]
How are our daily lives changed due to quarantine and life during the coronavirus outbreak? It seems like every day something changes: restrictions get tighter, a new epicenter emerges, and the new theories on the best way to conquer this crisis emerge. It's hard to keep up, so we like to check in with you[...]
When did a podcast about travel, living abroad, embracing adventure, and going off the script become about… staying home all day, every day? Since coronavirus, that’s when. The Bittersweet Life is certainly not the only media platform that is suddenly all about the spread of this virus and the quarantines around the world that it[...]
Lockdown has hit the United States—at least in some parts of the country. And people all around the nation are choosing to self-isolate. On this mini-episode, Katy and Tiffany discuss the realities of life under quarantine, including the practical things you need to do if you must leave your house. They also wonder if self-isolation[...]
The lockdown in Italy continues on the second part of Monday's episode, and as each moment passes, lockdown looms across the United States and the world. Tiffany shares some tips with Katy and our listeners for what to expect when their own quarantine inevitably arrives. She also explains why Italians aren't hoarding toilet paper, and together[...]
Italy is on lockdown. No going out except for basic necessities for medical reasons—or work if you absolutely cannot work from home. How is Tiffany coping? How is she staying sane, keeping her four-year-old entertained, and resisting tearing her husband limb from limb? We check in with Tiffany on today’s episode, and hear from Katy[...]
How are Italians reacting to the strict restrictions now in place during the unprecedented Italy lock down? Are they exhibiting their characteristic "furbizia" to get around the rules? Or is the country pulling together and making the necessary sacrifices to slow the spread of Coronavirus? We discuss in our second mini-episode of the week. We[...]
In the wake of the country-wide lock-down of Italy due to the rapid spread of the Coronavirus, we are putting two mini-episodes this week! On this first update, we check in about what exactly the "red zone" decree of Italy means, what life is like, and what we can expect from the coming days and[...]
Tiffany and Katy are both living in two of the epicenters of the devastating coronavirus, Italy and Washington State. This week, they chat about their parallel but distinct experiences, how the spread of the virus is affecting their lives, what like is life in their cities, and their uncertainty about the future. Katy proposes that[...]
How do you get a literary agent? For many aspiring writers, it can seem like an impossible task, and yet it's a necessary step on the road to getting your book published. But with agents receiving literally hundreds of queries per day, how can you possibly get noticed? Tiffany has a better way. Earlier this[...]
A globe-trotting rare bird egg thief, a detective hell bent on protecting the world’s birds of prey, and a writer who stitches it all into a brilliant story. Today we talk to that very writer, Joshua Hammer, who also happens to be an expat living in Berlin with his family. The Falcon Thief: A True[...]
If you could have an encounter with any animal in the wild, which would you pick? For author and actress Jane Alexander, it was the exotic Himalayan Monal pheasant. She got her wish in the mountains of Bhutan and told Katy about it. On Monday’s episode we talked about quests, and Katy mentioned she’d like[...]
What’s the difference between a goal and a quest? This week, Tiffany and Katy discuss what goes in to embarking on a quest, and why you would want to go on one. Tiffany (who famously loves a challenge) sets down her own definition of a quest, as well as why she believes the fun is[...]
It’s Carnevale here in Rome, and before you say—why don’t you go celebrate in Venice?—you should know that Carnevale originated in Rome. In this week’s Bittersweet Moment, Tiffany recounts the ancient origins of this raucous pre-Lenten festival, what it was like to take part in Carnival in Rensaissance times, and how it's celebrated today. (Warning:[...]
Do you know your personality type? On this week’s episode, Katy sits down with personality consultant Leslie McDaniel, who diagnoses Katy's personality type through a series of probing and sometimes difficult questions. Leslie believes that knowing your personality type—specifically the Myers-Briggs Type indicator—can help you reach your full potential, and it might even help you[...]
We've had some fascinating guests over the past six years of this podcast, and to celebrate our exciting 300-episode milestone, this Bittersweet Moment takes a look back at just a few of our very favorites. In this mini-episode, you'll hear why most of us remember a tree from our childhood, how one of today's most[...]
Two countries, six years, 300 episodes! On this week's episode, The Bittersweet Life podcast reaches a major milestone! To commemorate this important number, we look back on 300 episodes: highlights, bloopers, tears (mostly Katy's), laughter, our most famous young guest, and a few of the best Aurelio appearances. This week we not only a look[...]
Visit Rome in the footsteps of Raphael, just in time for the 500th anniversary of his death. Many art historians date the unofficial end of the Renaissance as 6 April 1520, the day the great Raphael Sanzio left the earth. He was only 37 years old. But despite his short life, he had a massive[...]
Italy is a historically corrupt country, so much so that many Italians roll their eyes at anyone naive enough to trust their own government. Is that where the US is heading? On this episode, Tiffany and Katy discuss how a country can begin a slow slide into corruption, what it looks and feels like, and[...]
Sagittarius or Scorpio, Leo or Libra, visit Rome based on your sign. In this mini-episode, Tiffany tells you what to see and do in Rome based on the traits of your zodiac sign. **Links to some of the places mentioned in the episode:** Rome's Michelin-starred restaurants Leonardo Da Vinci Experience – Via della Conciliazione, 19[...]
Katy's father and sister join us this week to look back on their family travels to Southeast Asia, specifically Vietnam. Katy, who was not a travel-lover as a younger person, asks her dad if he invited her to join him on his trips there in order to expand her world through travel. His answer surprises her.[...]
Michigan, Minnesota, Montana... oh my! Katy's sister and father have lived, respectively, in some of the snowiest places in the US. What do they think about the snow nostalgia that plagues so much of the non-snowy world? Do they agree with the theory that people who are "dreaming of a white Christmas" or joyfully singing "Let[...]
Most people either love snow or hate it. How much of that depends on where you live and how much snow you see in a typical year? Or maybe our love of snow is determined by how much it gets in the way of our day-to-day lives? A recent snowstorm hitting Seattle—a city that doesn't[...]
There’s nothing like curling up in your favorite armchair and traveling the world via an amazing book. But what about when the shoe is on the other foot? What about the writers who must craft stories that bring these exotic cities and countries to life? How do they go about it? On this week’s mini-episode,[...]
Most book-lovers would agree that reading is the best way to travel without leaving the comfort of your favorite armchair. This week, Katy sits down with librarian and world-famous book expert Nancy Pearl to discuss what makes a book a great armchair travel read, as opposed to simply a book set in an unfamiliar place.[...]
So you set yourself a bunch of New Year’s resolutions and now you’re on your way to Rome. How in the world are you going to keep them? Do you even want to try? Well, we’ve got good news for you! This week’s mini-episode is all about how to keep your New Year’s Resolutions while[...]
What are your resolutions this year? And did you get your resolutions done last year? We start every year with our Resolutions episode, where we look back on last year’s accomplishments (or non-accomplishments, as the case may be), and look ahead with ambition (if you're Tiffany) or playfulness and curiosity (if you're Katy) to what[...]
What did Shakespeare think about his own mortality? Is it possible to discern how he felt about death from his writing? We explore the intersection of art and death in this special presentation of the pilot to non-starter podcast In Black Ink that Katy created years before The Bittersweet Life. In it, she talks with[...]
Has Christmas lost its magic now that you’re all grown up? Katy and Tiffany brainstorm ways to bring that holiday magic back even if you don’t believe in Santa anymore. Katy tells the story of the time she played Santa’s secret helper to someone she barely knew and they muse on those magical moments when[...]
Who doesn’t love a good cocktail, especially around the holidays? On this week’s Bittersweet Moment, Katy revisits Monday’s episode and her interview with author Adrienne Brodeur to discover her mother’s secret for making amazing cocktails, especially her signature Manhattan. Katy also shares a creative game she likes to play with her favorite Seattle bartender, Daniel.[...]
Can you keep a secret? Author Adrienne Brodeur was asked to keep an explosive secret at just fourteen years old when her mother confided in her about her extramarital affair. From that moment on, Adrienne’s life changed; her innocent childhood was over, and her new life of secrets, lies, and drama began. Today Adrienne joins[...]
Spending Christmas in Rome? On this week's mini-episode, Tiffany shares her tips on the best, coziest, and most festive ways to celebrate Christmas in Rome! Buon Natale e Buone Feste from The Bittersweet Life! ***Don't forget! All of our Patreon supportors at the $10 level or higher will be thrown into a hat to win[...]
Should you visit a country if you can't speak the language? Some say no, that you'll never be able to understand or truly experience a culture if you can't make sense of what its people are saying. (One person who makes this claim is recent guest Paul Theroux in Episodes 286 and 287.) But then[...]
We won't be remembered for long after we die—that’s a conclusion that Mo Rocca, correspondent for CBS Sunday Morning, came to on Episode 290 MOBITUARIES. Today, we continue to explore the transience of fame on this mini-episode by introducing you to Jan Merlin. You probably haven't heard of this once-famous Hollywood actor, but he's about[...]
What makes someone’s life worth remembering? Mo Rocca spends a lot of time thinking and talking about this, on his podcast Mobituaries with Mo Rocca. Today he joins The Bittersweet Life to continue that conversation, and to talk about his new book, Mobituaries: Great Lives Worth Reliving. He discusses what it is about certain people’s[...]
We are so grateful for all of our wonderful listeners around the world for your love, attention, and support throughout the over five years of this show! On this extra-mini-episode, we have a quick Thanksgiving message for you. ---------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us an[...]
In the lead up to Thanksgiving, Katy and Tiffany muse on the inevitable missing out on important holidays and events that comes with being a far-away expat. And the annual November dilemma: do I make the effort to celebrate Thanksgiving this year, or do I just skip it? In addition, in light of the numerous[...]
Do you love opera? Hate it? Indifferent? Give Tiffany the length of a mini-episode and you might finding yourself warming to it. Tiffany tells how she fell in love with opera at age 12, and how her passion for the art form goes hand in hand with her passion for Italy and the Italian language.[...]
Mike Shaw recently moved to Bali after eleven years in Beijing. So far, it has been a hard move. On this week’s episode, he chats with Katy about why he decided to leave an adopted city he loves so much, and what he's discovered about himself in the process. He also talks about getting a[...]
Paul Theroux is back! This time, live onstage. If you loved Monday's double-header episode featuring an in-depth interview with legendary travel writer Paul Theroux, tune in to this week's mini-episode to hear a snippet of his live stage interview with Katy at Town Hall Seattle. Paul reveals the one thing you should never do when[...]
World-famous travel writer Paul Theroux joins us again for the continuation of this fascinating discussion. In Part 2, Theroux weighs in on the cult of social media, and how much of the travel posts we see on Instagram are the antithesis of travel writing. How authentic travel writing tries to get at the truth of[...]
Legendary travel writer Paul Theroux joins us this week for a candid, backstage interview delving into his five decades spent traveling the world and writing about it. He delves into what brought him to traveling and to writing, and how those two things are inexorably linked, at least for him. He remarks on why he[...]
Dying to move to Italy? Be forewarned: renting over here is a bit different than it is back home. On this mini-episode, Tiffany lists some of the oddest and most unexpected aspects of renting an apartment in Italy, and how to navigate the Italian rental market without losing your mind (or getting conned). ---------------------------------------- ADVERTISE[...]
Since moving back to the states from Rome in 2014, Katy has flit around the country, moving from Seattle to New Orleans to San Francisco and back again. A common occurrence in repats who struggle to find their place in the world after living abroad. Perhaps that's why it's extra shocking that Katy has decided[...]
In honor of Halloween, today's mini-episode features a snippet from Katy's most controversial NPR story ever recorded. Listen in to hear an interview that is equal parts, gruesome, disturbing, and adorable. And let us know what you think about it—is it wrong or just hilarious? ---------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers[...]
Self-described dead body enthusiast and corpse geek, Caitlin Doughty joins us this week for a fascinating discussion about all things death. Doughty is quite possibly the most famous mortician on the internet, and her new book Will my Cat Eat my Eyeballs? and Other Questions from Tiny Mortals about Death, is a light-hearted but honest[...]
A glorious Guercino ceiling fresco, Caravaggio's only wall painting, a maybe-Michelangelo, an oasis off Via Veneto, and a real live American princess! In this week's mini-episode, Tiffany takes listeners on a visit to one of the most unknown troves of art in the entire city, Villa Aurora. This glorious yet unassuming private home is all[...]
Have you ever encountered a ghost? As the Halloween season pulls into full swing, we replay one of the most popular shows from our archives: our ghost episode, featuring spooky and unexplainable stories, be they run-ins with ghosts, scary stuff that's happened to us, or the tales of the ghosts of Rome. So get comfortable, pour[...]
How do you conduct a successful interview? What are the best tricks for organizing and carrying out an effective interview? And what are some things that you should definitely NOT do? On this week’s Bittersweet Moment, Katy shares her considerable knowledge and experience on the matter after nearly two decades working in public radio and[...]
How do you flirt in a foreign language? What if you barely speak the language in question? Is it easier to flirt with a foreigner than with someone from your own culture? What happens when cultural miscommunication crops up? And how do you manage to be witty and charming in a foreign language? On this[...]
Want to kickstart your Italian language learning? On this week's mini-episode, Tiffany offers five practical tips for learning Italian fast, with specific tricks for building a vocabulary and learning to conjugate verbs. Aurelio also stops by to share his thoughts on learning Italian. ---------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over[...]
Fifteen years of living your life in a foreign language can change the way you think in your own native tongue, or at least that's the case for Tiffany. This week, we chat about the unexpected side effects of speaking your second (or third) language more than you speak your first, and how it can[...]
Longing to visit Rome but don't want to dip into your life savings? On this week's mini-episode, Tiffany shares her tips for visiting Rome on a budget. Everything from eating, drinking, sleeping, and sightseeing. You never knew Rome could be this cheap. A few links for places mentioned on the episode: Alice pizza by the[...]
Oprah Winfrey's former executive producer Sheri Salata and her cohost Nancy Hala from The Sheri + Nancy Show podcast, join us again this week to continue their fascinating conversation! On this episode, Sheri delves into the title of her new book, The Beautiful No. She explains how a devastating professional rejection at a time in[...]
"Are we brave enough to want our heart's desires?" One of the best parts about hosting this podcast is getting to meet amazing authors and talk about their books with them. A bonus is when the author agrees to read you your favorite excerpt from their book. On this mini-episode, our most recent author guest,[...]
The executive producer of the Oprah Winfrey Show, Sheri Salata and her cohost Nancy Hala on the popular podcast, The Sheri and Nancy Show join us on this very special episode! Sheri is the author of the new book, The Beautiful No, And Other Tales of Trail, Transcendence, and Transformation. They discuss the inevitable question[...]
On this week's Bittersweet Moment, Katy takes to the streets of Seattle to ask passersby if they've ever had a brief encounter with someone and never forgotten that person. Why was that? Why do some people stay with you even if they are not physically there? What makes some people stand out in your memory,[...]
Today Katy recounts her relationship with a long-time listener, someone she never met but communicated with often, and how finding out about his death brought up unexpected emotions. Digging back through his emails, she finds an invitation to cherish memories without bemoaning the passage of time—perhaps the exact message that her nostalgic soul needed to[...]
In this week’s mini-episode, Tiffany takes you on a virtual tour of one of the most fascinating and little-known sites in Rome, which also happens to be one of the greatest optical illusions in the world. ---------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us an email to[...]
SEASON 7 is opening with an announcement from Katy. Another move is in store for her! In fact, part of this episode captures some of the highlights of her journey to her new home. Where will it be, you wonder? I guess you'll just have to listen to find out. ---------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats,[...]
Every year on Labor Day, we take the day off to enjoy the fruits of our labors, and post one of our favorite episodes from the archives. Today we take you back in time to the summer of 2014, on Katy's very last morning as an expat living in Rome. She and Tiffany spend 20[...]
On this mini-episode, Katy takes us back in time to the the Golden Age of radio, by re-broadcasting a piece she produced for the Radio Retrospective. In it, she looks at the way the news was manipulated and dramatized leading up to and during World War II, in segments that were aired at the cinema,[...]
This episode is Part 2 of an interview with bestselling writer Anthony Doerr, author of Pulitzer Prize-winning All the Light We Cannot See, and Four Seasons in Rome. Be sure to listen to Part 1 if you haven't already! As the conversation continues, Anthony tells the story of finding out he had won the prestigious Rome[...]
In this very special episode, we are joined by the award-winning, best-selling writer, Anthony Doerr, author of All the Light We Cannot See, and Four Seasons in Rome, among others. Anthony shares his writing journey with Katy, from his earliest beginnings as an amateur writer to the challenges of writing from the perspective of a[...]
This mini-episode finds Tiffany sitting on a bench on a crowded street corner in Rome's Prati neighborhood, observing the world around her—without her smartphone on hand. In a follow-up to last week's episode ADDICTION, Parts One and Two, Tiffany carries out Katy's assignment of spending some time alone without looking at her phone, and to[...]
In part two of this week's double-header, we continue our discussion of addiction, this time focusing more on physical addictions, and specifically cigarettes. Katy reveals her struggles with smoking from a young age, and how she finally managed to quit. She also compares the physical and chemical addiction of something like a cigarette to the[...]
How do you know you're addicted to your phone? And more importantly, what can you do about it? Tiffany recognizes the signs of a looming problem and asks Katy for some advice. This leads to a conversation about addiction in general. Be sure to stick around for Part 2 of this conversation when Katy opens[...]
Swiss cabin meets medieval hamlet meets art nouveau glass? As crazy as it sounds, this unlikely mash-up is not an abomination, but rather one of the most charming, yet little visited, museums in Rome. Tucked away among the greenery of Villa Torlonia north of the city, la Casina delle Civette, or the Owl House, was[...]
Is it important to be on time? What does it say about you if you are often late? What does it say about you if it really bothers you when others are late? This week, we delve into the world of punctuality, and all of the expectations and resentments that can come with it (or[...]
On this week’s mini-episode, Katy captures the unique and festive sounds of a parade that is passing through her town. And she explains why she sometimes gets choked up when she attends a parade. She also wonders about the origins of the word “parade,” and if it ever meant something different from the gleeful file[...]
This week, TIffany fills Katy in on her recent trip to the States, the best parts of the adventure, and how Aurelio is turning out to be an awesome traveler. She also remarks on the things about American life and culture that never fail to surprise her every time she goes back. Lastly, Tiffany reveals[...]
Rome in August. It’s hot, it’s sticky and it’s surprisingly empty. August is the month in which Romans desert the city en masse and head for the seashore or the mountains, searching for a welcome respite from the sizzling city heat. Many shopkeepers and restaurant owners take part in the exodus as well, so shuttered[...]
This week, we explore the underground world with Robert MacFarlane of Cambridge University in England. Robert is the best-selling author of Landmarks and The Old Ways, and was awarded the EM Forster Prize for Literature by the American Academy of Arts and Letters. His latest book, UNDERLAND, is an “epic exploration of the Earth’s underworlds[...]
On this week's Bittersweet Moment, Tiffany interviews an old friend, someone who has had an influence on her writing in a very concrete way. The interview takes place in a gorgous house up in the trees on the cliff of Big Sur, but it was in Rome where Tiffany and India first met, and the[...]
Do you think traveling by rail is romantic? Or are we the only ones? We're digging into our archives this week to bring you this episode that we recorded on a train between Rome and Orvieto way back in 2014, the very first year of this podcast! Summer is a time of travel for many[...]
On today’s Bittersweet Moment, we check in with listener and friend Lynn Fortunato to hear her reaction to her session with a psychic medium. If you haven’t listened to last week’s episodes, be sure to do that first! Episode 266: Medium, Part 1 Episode 267: Medium, Part 2 -------------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future[...]
Last week we were off, so this week, we’re putting out two shows for the price of one! (That price being FREE—as always! 🙂 Make sure you listen to Episode 266 {MEDIUM, Part 1} first, to follow Katy and our longtime listener Lynn into a live psychic session! Visit the site of Felix Lee Lerma,[...]
And for this week, something completely new! Katy meets up with one of The Bittersweet Life’s longtime listeners, San Francisco resident Lynn Fortunato. Lynn is standing on the precipice of change. She’s bored of her job, she’s not overly attached to San Francisco, her lease is up in September, and she’s yearning for something new.[...]
Katy and Tiffany take a much-deserved break this week, but we do stop by, if just to say hi. If you feel a twitch of disappointment that you don’t get to hear the show this week, consider supporting us! If we bring value to your life every week, help keep the show alive by pledging[...]
On this extra-mini Bittersweet Moment, Katy and Tiffany take a break from their mid-week mini-episode formula to ask YOU a question: what do you think of the mini-episodes? Do you love them or skip them? If you love them, what do you love most about them? If not, what could we do better? Do you[...]
Do you love to travel but get inordinately stressed out when it comes time to book your reservations? Are you a typically chill person who wakes up in cold sweats because you’re afraid the tickets you were looking at have doubled in price—or worse—sold out? Do you find it nearly impossible to decide where and[...]
It takes more than one mini-episode to go behind the scenes at The Bittersweet Life! We’re joined again this week by Sara Johnson who turns the tables on Katy to interview her about everything that goes into producing this show every week. Specifically, Katy reveals valuable insight for anyone hoping to start their own podcast[...]
This week we discuss the new strict laws that have recently been signed into law by Rome’s mayor, Virginia Raggi. Feel like enjoying a gelato on the Spanish Steps à la Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday? Think twice! Want to climb on the back of one of the lion statues in Piazza del Popolo to[...]
On this week's Bittersweet Moment, we offer a peek behind the curtain as Katy's sister Sara—one of our most ardent fans—interviews Katy about everything that goes into the podcast that listeners don't see (or hear). Learn how the name was chosen, how long it takes Katy to edit a single episode, the most challenging episode[...]
This week, we sit down with a BBC Europe producer Natalie Higgins to discuss the ins and outs of the journalist game, as well as her experiences living abroad in Rome over a decade ago, and her current expat experience in Belgium. Natalie shares her story of starting out as a university student studying languages,[...]
On this week’s Bittersweet Moment, Tiffany and Aurelio chat about their recent visit to one of Rome’s most secret and best-hidden gems: the Tempietto of Bramante. Find out what makes this minuscule “temple” so utterly sublime, which ancient temple it was inspired by, and which domes around the world have been inspired by it. Aurelio[...]
What are the instantly recognizable symbols that represent your city? And more importantly, what do you think of them? We hash out the whys behind the icons that make our cities (or the cities we travel to) famous. We also ask, do you travel to a city because of the icons there, or are they[...]
On this week’s mini-episode, we delve a little deeper with social historian Hallie Rubenhold, author of The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper. If you haven't listened to the full interview, on Episode 260: THE FIVE, check that out first. Hallie discusses her fascination with the bodies of people[...]
Since Victorian times, people have been obsessed with Jack the Ripper. There are endless volumes full of history about him and the gory deaths of his five victims. What's missing is information about the lives of the women he killed—until now. This week, we sit down with Hallie Rubenhold, social historian and author of the[...]
On this week’s mini-episode, Tiffany shares all her expert tips for visiting the Vatican—and keeping your sanity while you do it. The Vatican Museums are huge, overwhelming, and most of all, extremely crowded. But if you feel that you simply can’t leave Rome without seeing this one-of-a-kind place, arm yourself with some strategies that will[...]
Do you like to do hard things? Do you tend to challenge yourself… just because? On this episode, Katy and Tiffany talk about deliberately seeking out difficult situations, tasks, and habits, in order to promote personal growth, build inner (and outer) strength, and hone a sense of daring—and hopefully have fun too. Tiffany believes that[...]
Ramadan began for millions of Muslims on May 5, 2019. But what exactly is Ramadan? Most people know it entails fasting, contemplation, and prayer, but not much else. To learn a bit more about it, Katy interviews her former colleague, Amina Al-Sadi on this mini-episode for an inside look at celebrating Ramadan in the United[...]
This week, we’re joined by a very special guest, Tiffany’s niece Hannah Ritter. At 22, Hannah has lived in France for the better part of two years, first as a study-abroad student, then as an English teacher. Tiffany sits down with Hannah to talk about how she was able to integrate into French culture so[...]
In this week’s mini-episode, Tiffany recounts her visit to the Scala Santa and the Sancta Sanctorum. The so-called Holy Staircase is believed to be made up of the actual 28 steps that Christ climbed on his way to his trial, shortly before the crucifixion. Transported to Rome in the early 4th century by St. Helena,[...]
This week, therapist and bestselling author Lori Gottlieb joins us to talk about change, loss, self-examination...and when you should really talk to someone. If you’ve ever wondered what your therapist was thinking, this is a conversation you’ll want to hear. Lori and Katy discuss everything from what you should look for in a therapist to[...]
On this week’s Bittersweet Moment, Katy talks about the joys of play, and specifically, games. We are all familiar with simple childhood games, board games, and travel games, but what about games that spark your imagination and fuel your creativity? Katy’s longtime friend Robert Fulgham, author of, among many others, All I Really Need to[...]
As a follow-up to last week’s Bittersweet Moment mini-episode KIDS, where Tiffany offers tips on traveling to Rome with little ones, this week, Katy and Tiffany reminisce about traveling in their youth. Were they “good” travelers? Were they interested in what they were seeing, or were they bored and sulking? At what age did they[...]
On this week's mini-episode, Tiffany shares her tips on traveling to Rome with kids. She not only gives suggestions about what sites in Rome are most suited to kids, but more importantly, she shares tricks on how to get your little ones to enjoy the places you want to go. Aurelio stops by too, and[...]
In a sequel to Episode 253 PERCEPTION, this week we are joined once again by visual intelligence expert Amy Herman. Katy and Amy take a walk through the streets of Manhattan, discussing how better to observe the world around them, and by doing so, make better decisions. Decisions that could save a life, or simply[...]
On Monday’s episode, we discussed the tragic fire at Paris’ Notre Dame Cathedral. (If you haven’t listened to that episode yet, do that now!) At the end of the episode, we wonder what other buildings in the world, if any, could elicit the same universal heartbreak as Notre Dame? We asked and you answered. Listeners[...]
This week, Katy and Tiffany discuss the tragedy of the Notre Dame fire. How do you move on after all but losing such an integral monument to human history? We muse on our own reactions to the disaster, and how it took us back to the trauma of tragedies such as 9/11. And that raises[...]
In the aftermath of the devastating fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, Tiffany is reminded of a similar fire that took place at Rome’s Basilica San Paolo fuori le Mura in 1823. In telling the story of the San Paolo fire, she takes comfort in the fact that almost every building or monument of[...]
Amy Herman is an art expert who trains members of law enforcement, intelligence agents, counter-terrorist specialists, and healthcare professionals to enhance their observation skills by learning to look at works of art. Amy is the founder of The Art of Perception, and the author of Visual Intelligence. In this episode, Amy and Katy visit the[...]
On this week’s mini-episode, Katy interviews Matt Harding—you know, that crazy American guy who danced with people all over the world and taped himself doing it? His videos dancing alone and with locals, in front of some of the most recognizable monuments in the world and in some of the most remote places in the[...]
What do Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Picasso, Paul Gauguin (and so many other artists) have in common? They all reached the apex of their creative output while living outside their countries of birth. An email from a listener, who also happens to be a member of indie band Trash Can Dream, inspired this week’s episode. Emma[...]
In this week's Bittersweet Moment mini-episode, we tackle a question from a listener: how do you learn a new language effectively? Tiffany draws on her experiences studying and speaking Italian and French (and a smidgen of Spanish and German) to come up with five tips to help you master a new language. Listen in to[...]
How many of your life decisions were entirely your own, and how many were influenced by what the people around you wanted, hoped, or expected you to be doing? And what happens when you decide to go off script and live life on your own terms? Today we delve into questions of “should.” We discuss whether[...]
It’s time for our first full Bittersweet Moment! Inspired by Monday’s episode, Katy wonders how many people have lived in places they didn’t like, and what they did about it. Be sure to listen to Episode 250 {SPOUSE} first, where we chat wtih author Beth Howard about her experiences as a trailing spouse expat while[...]
We often chat with expats on The Bittersweet Life, whether they are corporate expats off to a new country every other year, passion expats who follow their dream of living in a foreign land, or anything in between. But what about the expat spouse? What about the person who never signed up for the expat[...]
On occasion of the fifth anniversary of The Bittersweet Life, we're launching Bittersweet Moments, mid-week mini-episodes to bring a little extra (bitter) sweetness to your week. We'll be regaling you with a different nugget every week, from bite-sized art or history tidbits to street interviews, follow-ups on previous episodes, listener messages, travel tips, random thoughts,[...]
This week’s episode is inspired by a letter from one of our long-time listeners. Giovanna wonders what to do after hitting an expat “plateau,” when the rapid learning and expanding period of being a new expat inevitably slows down. After a little over a year living on the idyllic Italian island of Ischia (by way[...]
This week, we chat with Lori-Lee Elliott, many-time expat, world traveler, and techie girlboss. Lori-Lee’s first appearance on The Bittersweet Life was back in July of 2017 in Episode 166: TIPS, when she pulls from her sizable expat experience to share tips with wannabe or newbie expats. This time, she joins us to talk about[...]
In this long-awaited epsiode, Tiffany finally reveals how she moved to Rome. It wasn't all a bed of roses (and frankly, it wasn't all legal), but after innumerable requests from listeners, who regularly write to us saying, "I want to move to Italy. How did you do it?" Tiffany is breaking her silence at last[...]
Whether due to poor planning, penny pinching, or simply laziness, we’ve all got regrets when it comes to our past travels. You know what we’re talking about: the time you didn’t cough up the extra 5 bucks to climb the church tower and missed out on the amazing view. The time you missed the museum[...]
Have you ever thumbed through a cookbook only to roll your eyes and wonder, who has the time? And who has all these ingredients laying around? Italian food expert and cookbook author Francesca Montillo joins us for a conversation about her new cookbook. For anyone who loves cooking Italian food but doesn’t have the time[...]
Do I deserve to live a bigger life? If you're asking that question, it's a gift to have parent (or friend) who answers- why not? Sarah McColl, author of Joy Enough, joins us to talk about the beautiful life she discovered while living alongside her dying mother. We also explore how fear, loss and the expectations of[...]
Katy's sisters, Dana and Sara, join us again this week! They discuss what tethers people have (real or invented) that tie them to the city they are currently living in. Whether it's a stable job, a family support system, or simply force of habit, what is holding you back from imagining a new life for[...]
This week we're joined by two of The Bittersweet Life's most ardent listeners: Katy's own sisters, Dana Zahler and Sara Johnson. The three sisters chat about the things that prompt you to change where you live, and what—if anything—your upbringing has to do with it. Hear from Dana what it takes to move a family[...]
Our super summer Share-a-thon came to an end a few months ago now, and today is the big day (***fanfare***) that our super-fun, super-secret Truth or Dare episode hits the airwaves! If you've been paying attention, you know that that episode is only available to listeners who managed to get at least 5 of their[...]
Every so often, just when you find yourself alone and vulnerable in a foreign place and in desperate need of help, an angel comes into your life...a very special kind of angel. A travel angel. This episode is dedicated to those rare and wonderful strangers who come into our lives just when we need them[...]
In a re-airing of one of our most fascinating interviews, Amy Herman joins us to talk about visual intelligence. How can looking at fine art, or rather learning how to truly notice what it is you are seeing, change, or even save your life? Herman has trained police officers, doctors, military, and special operatives to[...]
What happens when you dig out the resolutions you made at the beginning of the year just as you are about to make some new ones for the year to come? Tiffany and Katy find out the hard way. Plus, in honor of Tiffany, Katy takes on a few extra resolutions, and Tiffany takes a[...]
Merry Christmas from your friends at The Bittersweet Life! This Christmas, we're gifting you with a sweet, sentimental, and surprising piece of radio created by your host, Katy Sewall the Christmas she spent in Rome, way back in 2013. If you love the song White Christmas and have always wondered about its origins (or maybe[...]
When you move abroad to be with a significant other—not because it was your own dream—what do you do when you don't find expat life satisfying? Whether it's because you struggle to learn the language, feel isolated, don't really love the place where you live, or—god forbid—are not sure your partner is the right person[...]
This week, we chat with expat, author, and vlogger Dana Newman, an American living in Germany with a book out next week! Dana moved to Europe back in 2008, first to Prague, then later to Munich, where she married a German and still lives today. On her YouTube channel, Wanted Adventure, she talks about her[...]
It’s December and Advent is upon us! With this unofficial kick-off of Christmastime, we discuss the different ways Italians and Americans prepare for the holiday season. And how have Italians ceded some of their native traditions to the global consumerism that has taken over the American Christmas experience? We also debate contentious topics such as:[...]
A powerful, unscrupulous man whose two greatest vices are greed and lust. He’s close to his family...perhaps too close (particularly his daughter). He has many children by different women, but the three he loves most are two sons and a daughter...a beautiful blond-haired daughter. He holds a position of great power, although the machinations he[...]
It’s almost Thanksgiving, and if you’re anything like us, you’re partly dreading sitting down at that big, diverse table because you know the person sitting beside you—while you may love them to bits—has political views that are the polar opposite of yours. You can’t pick your family, am I right? And even worse, you can’t[...]
This week we are joined by archaeologist and longtime Bittersweet Life listener Christy Schirmer. In her mid-30s, Christy decided to quit her job and pursue a PhD in Classics, something she had always dreamed about doing. Fast-forward a few years and she now comes to Italy (a country she loves) to work once a year[...]
On this week's episode, Katy and Tiffany reminisce about their first experiences leaving home—when they went away to college at age eighteen. Why was Katy’s experience so bad and Tiffany’s so awesome? Was it really only luck? How do you cope with debilitating homesickness? And does having a boyfriend make a big difference? What makes[...]
This week, in honor of Halloween, we feature the stories of listeners and friends, whether they be recountings of run-ins with ghosts they themselves have experienced, or just downright scary stuff that's happened to them. So get comfortable, pour yourself a piping cup of tea, curl up under your favorite blanket, turn the lights down...and[...]
Join us for a whimsical (and not so whimsical) conversation about ghosts—do you believe in them? Have you ever encountered one? Are you the type of person who automatically looks for “rational explanations” when spooky things occur? Or are you open to believing something paranormal is afoot? Where’s the line between open-minded and gullible? We[...]
This week, Katy interviews debut author Laura Smith, and the two discuss the definition of wanderlust, why some people spend their lives perennially longing for new experiences, and how you can challenge the status quo for your own life. They also examine the dark side of wanderlust—does a yearning for "other" mean you are unsatisfied with[...]
There's nothing like a complete political meltdown in your home country to make you feel utterly alone in your adopted one. Tiffany opens up about her feelings of isolation in the wake of the Kavanaugh debacle raging across the pond. When you are consumed for weeks on end with a political story that no one[...]
You’ve doubtless heard the phrase, “Not all who wander are lost.” This week, Katy and Tiffany theorize that many who wander are, indeed, lost. Why is it that so many expats come from troubled homes or have difficult pasts? While we haven’t made a scientific study, in our time living abroad, we’ve noticed that expats[...]
On the first episode of season six, Katy and Tiffany take a trip north (at least in their memories) to the Dolomite mountains in the Italian region of Trentino-Alto Adige. It’s a part of the country that is well-loved by Italians from all over the peninsula, but not particularly known by people outside the country.[...]
In this introspective episode, Katy says goodbye to Rome the night before she flies back to the States. And as she contemplates the end of another chapter, her thoughts turn to John Keats. Why John Keats, you ask? At the start of her time in Rome, Katy visited the Non-Catholic Cemetery and the grave of[...]
Are we the masters of our own fate, or merely unwitting pawns in a larger scheme, the irresistible pull of destiny guiding all of our so-called decisions? Or is the reality somewhere in the middle? In their second live show, recorded at The Beehive Hotel & Hostel, Katy and Tiffany explore their own beliefs on[...]
In honor of Labor Day, Katy and Tiffany take the week off from their labor of love, The Bittersweet Life podcast. But in this special, super-short episode we ask for your feedback for three upcoming episodes. Listen to the episode to hear our questions so you can be featured on the show! Email your stories[...]
As Katy nears the end of her time in Rome (this time), Tiffany can’t help but ask, will you stay? Or, more precisely, would you stay? Would you stay in Rome IF all the conditions allowed it: work visa, gainful employment, apartment? Her answer might surprise you. And it opens a discussion: how do you[...]
Moving abroad isn’t just for twenty-somethings. Our guest this week proves just that. Jackie was a successful lawyer in her early 40s and living in Chicago when she realized she wasn’t content feeding her wanderlust with short, occasional trips to Europe—she had to move there. And when she finally decided to take the plunge, she[...]
A postcard captures a moment in time—a literal snapshot of a place. But according to Katy, people make the best postcards. If you visit a place often enough, every time you go back, you’ll inevitably find faces you’ve seen before. Locals whom you’ve noticed many times—and who have perhaps noticed you—although you may know nothing[...]
Want to raise a bilingual child? Whether you are an expat or not, in a mixed-culture relationship or not, it is possible to raise your child in two (or more) languages, and the benefits you will pass on to your child are significant. But how do you go about it? Today Katy sits down with[...]
We often talk about expat life in big cities like Rome. But what’s it like to be a foreigner in a small village where everyone knows everyone? On this week’s episode {ORVIETO}, we catch up with two Americans living in the tiny central Italian town of Orvieto—two expats whom we interviewed for the first time[...]
After the wild week in the news in the US, Katy and Tiffany take a brief break from their recent Rome-based episodes to discuss the events surrounding the now infamous Helsinki Summit. In the course of their commiserations, they wonder what is harder: having to live through the chaos as it unfolds in your own[...]
Have you ever walked into someone’s house in Japan with your shoes on and had a room full of people laugh at you? (Katy has.) Have you ever traipsed into a room in an Italian home that has been freshly mopped and been given the evil eye by the lady of the house? (Tiffany has.)[...]
The best thing about marrying an Italian? You’re automatically part of a big Italian family. The worst thing about marrying an Italian? You’re automatically part of a big Italian family. If you’re a regular listener to the show, you’ve heard Tiffany talk about (and sometimes complain about) her Italian in-laws for years—especially during those long[...]
Issues of race and diversity are on everyone’s lips and minds in the United States right now. But people in Italy are just starting to have these conversations. In a country where, until quite recently, everyone had a similar racial make-up, perhaps it simply wasn’t necessary until now. In an interview with our former intern,[...]
What happens when you say “no” to your destiny…only to discover that it brings you more joy than you could have imagined? This week, Katy interviews Antonio Sersale, son of one of the four founding siblings of the legendary Le Sirenuse Hotel in Postiano on the Amalfi Coast. From a young age, Antonio was groomed[...]
After a transformative trip to India during college, Michael Maren realized that in order to feel fully alive, he had to go back overseas. He joined the Peace Corps after graduating and a series of chance events led him to Kenya, where he stayed for the next five years, teaching English, Physics, and Swahili at[...]
This week, we hit the streets of Rome with our recording equipment to search for ancient artifacts or “spoglie” hidden in plain sight. Rome has been inhabited without interruption for over three thousand of years. A past like that cannot but leave its mark on a city. And if you keep your eyes open, the[...]
Rome is crumbling...just as it has been for centuries. But what does it say about us adopted Romans that we choose to live in a city's whose glory days are all in the past? Why do so many of us, who can't even use the excuse that this is our native land, choose to live[...]
Katy interviews Samuel Webster, versatile artist, Australian expat in a small town in Italy, and host of Fool’s Paradise podcast. They discuss what it means to be an “artist.” Does adopting that title make you pretentious, or is it just an honest representation of your craft? What about if you practice numerous arts? Webster identifies[...]
What does Rome sound like in the rain? Tiffany and Katy take a walk through the soggy streets of Rome, from Trastevere to Campo de' Fiori, capturing the sounds that you might not notice: raindrops falling in a puddle, water rushing through an underground drain, birds chirping as they seek shelter from the storm. As[...]
Thanks to Stackry.com for supporting this program. Shop any US retailer and ship anywhere for less money. Bittersweet Life listeners get 10% off when you try it! Just use the coupon code: MANGIA **** Sometimes a person comes into your life—just a chance encounter—and yet you never forget them. Maybe their impact is strong, maybe it's[...]
Thanks to Stackry.com for supporting this program. Shop any US retailer and ship anywhere for less money. Bittersweet Life listeners get 10% off when you try it! Just use the coupon code: MANGIA **** Planning a trip to Rome? Use your Chinese horoscope sign as a guide to plan your itinerary. What animal are you? A[...]
Thanks to Stackry.com for supporting this program. Shop any US retailer and ship anywhere for less money. Bittersweet Life listeners get 10% off when you try it! Just use the coupon code: MANGIA **** An overheard conversation between two American students in Rome causes Katy to reflect on the idea of pretension. Why do some expats—even[...]
Thanks to Stackry.com for supporting this program. Shop any US retailer and ship anywhere for less money. Bittersweet Life listeners get 10% off when you try it! Just use the coupon code: MANGIA **** Katy and Tiffany reunite in Rome for the first time in two and a half years to kick of Season 5 of[...]
Traveling alone to Nice, France helped former public radio host, Steve Scher, overcome a long-held hangup from high school. Has traveling helped you shed a negative belief about yourself? Steve worked side-by-side with host Katy Sewall for 9 years at KUOW Public Radio in Seattle. Now they are both on a quest for discovery and[...]
We explore the concept of synchronicity live on stage in Seattle. We also take audience questions as we celebrate the 200th episode of The Bittersweet Life podcast and the release of Tiffany Parks' new book Midnight in the Piazza. WATCH! See the VIDEO of the live show! COVID-19 keeping you home? Explore SpotMe to create[...]
When it comes to gender roles, are Italians more conservative than other parts of the world? If a Italian marries an expat are they non-traditional? That... and Italian Easter traditions! Tiffany's article: Are Italian Women really Unhappy? Thanks to Stackry.com for supporting this program. Shop any US retailer and ship anywhere for less money. Bittersweet Life[...]
Today we learn to write micro-memoirs. These are short stories that really capture the essence of an experience, sometimes in just one sentence. Whether you write a blog, post on Instagram, or just want to process the details of your day-to-day life in a new way, this show will give you fun exercises to try.[...]
Tiffany's first book, Midnight is the Piazza, is out! We talk about what it is like to achieve a long-held goal, and how to start writing if you want to but you're stalled. Thanks to Stackry.com for supporting this program. Shop any US retailer and ship anywhere for less money. Bittersweet Life listeners get 10%[...]
When you travel, do you always go somewhere new, or do you revisit the same places again and again? What personality factors determine whether you prefer novelty or familiarity on the road? Host Tiffany Parks thinks life is short and the world is big. Why wouldn't you try to see as much as possible? Host[...]
How does violence in Italy compare to gun violence in the United States? We discuss guns, international gun regulations, and the privilege of living in less armed countries. Thanks to Stackry.com for supporting this program. Shop any US retailer and ship anywhere for less money. Bittersweet Life listeners get 10% off when you try it![...]
If you're planning a trip to Rome with kids, this is the episode for you. Lots of fun, spooky ideas to keep kids and teens entertained in the eternal city. But, adults! You'll love this too. These ideas are pretty fun for us grownups too. Thanks to Stackry.com for supporting this program. Shop at any[...]
Planning a trip to Rome? Today we explore the lesser known gems of the city. These are amazing places tourists often miss (though they shouldn't). Listening will make your trip is incredible. And if you're not planning a trip, this will be like traveling to Rome at home. LIVE SHOW! MARK YOUR CALENDARS! On Friday, March[...]
What determines the pace of your life? Is it the city you live in? How many connections you have? What happens when you live in a country with a slower pace than you're used to? Hosts Tiffany Parks and Katy Sewall discuss. MARK YOUR CALENDARS! On Friday, March 16, 2018, we celebrate the release of Tiffany's[...]
"How does one choose their path without regrets?" That's one big question circling through listener Darlene's head as she listens to The Bittersweet Life podcast. Is the expat life for the unattached? Can it be too late to move? Are artist-types always dissatisfied? Katy and Tiffany debate these huge concepts and attempt to give some[...]
Dreaming of moving abroad but love your job? We discuss the hazards of giving up your career. Tiffany also gives listener Darlene practical tips to keep in mind when moving to Rome, Italy. Future expats, this is the show for you. Thanks for textile designer Darlene in Brooklyn, NY for writing the letter that prompted[...]
How important are the decorations around you? Travelers frequently live in environments designed by other people. Some people can work anywhere, but for others, aesthetics are really important. While moving to San Francisco, host Katy Sewall realized her productivity suffered from living in uninspired temporary housing. Decorating styles differ from country to country too. Host[...]
Tiffany and Katy discuss resolutions for the New Year as 2018 kicks off. Tiffany needs your help with hers. Also, host Katy Sewall makes a big announcement about where she is going from here. The RECIPE Tiffany talks about compliments of Smitten Kitchen: Pasta e ceci (pasta and chickpeas) What are you resolving to do in[...]
Christmas traditions can be grounding when you're living in a brand new place. Tiffany and Katy talk about the joys and challenges of being untethered during the holidays. They also discuss which of their traditions come from childhood and which were added after living in a foreign culture. The Sweet Smell of Christmas (The Scratch[...]
The magician Dante joins us with his amazing story of reinvention - from landing in prison to busking for huge crowds in the streets of Europe. As he puts it, "It's not about what has happened, it's about what we do next." Dante learned magic to make sure he'd alway be free; able to work[...]
The #MeToo movement has taken over the news in the United States and much of the world. After Hollywood movie producer Harvey Weinstein was outed by the New York Times for a history of assaulting women, more accusations - and firings - have followed. Now all men are reexamining their workplace behavior and women are[...]
During the Sack of Rome in 1527, thousands of citizens were killed or raped. The city's treasures were pillaged. Beyond the trauma and loss, the sack also crippled the Italian Renaissance for good. When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, over 1500 people died and thousands lost everything they had. A huge percentage of[...]
Do Americans need more positive feedback than the French? French expat Sabine explains the communication issues she and her American husband face. She also explains why her French friends sometimes feel sorry for her and what she makes of the 2nd amendment given all the mass shootings in America. Would you trade Paris for New Orleans?[...]
You would think living in Rome would be fantastic but "Rome squashes some of my joy" co-host Tiffany Parks says in this episode. Over in New Orleans, co-host Katy Sewall keeps encountering local residents claiming they're able to be more their authentic selves in The Big Easy. This has Katy questioning the influence of her[...]
Does life have any meaning? What is the purpose of living? If you are asking these questions, you might be experiencing an existential crisis. To tackle grief, loss and these huge life questions, New Orleans writer Anne Gisleson formed the Existential Crisis Reading Group. Along the way, the book group discovered writers like Dante, James Joyce,[...]
Hurricane Nate missed New Orleans in October, but being in it's path brought about both fear and cultural revelation for new resident - our host Katy Sewall. It also brought about an unexpected interview with BBC radio. BBC Radio 5 Live Katy's most famous BBC News article: The girl who gets gifts from birds NEVER[...]
Mortician Caitlin Doughty joins us to talk about death practices around the world. Discover where you'd like to die and what countries deal with mortality best. Caitlin Doughty Homepage The Order of the Good Death NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all[...]
Sad days after Tiffany's father dies. She struggles with the guilt many expats feel about being far away and not seeing him as much as she might have if she lived closer. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by[...]
Visit New Orleans with us! Host Katy moves into her new (temporary) home and discovers crime, a muggy heat and a great dance partner. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the conversation going.[...]
Jorge Moreno, beloved bartender from the reality show Bachelor in Paradise, gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the show and explains how expats can accidentally ruin a town they love. Book a Tour with Jorge! Nayarit Uncovered Follow him on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter and Trip Advisor NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start[...]
When expat Sara Sullivan's baby got sick in Botswana, a medical transfer by private jet was required. What was that like? And what is it like to be able to afford a level of medical care that local residents can't? Outland-ish: Honest Tales from Overseas by Sara Sullivan NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid[...]
Mongol Rally participants drive from London to Mongolia at their own pace and their own peril. Radio Producer Scott Gurian survived the 11,000 mile journey in his tiny, 1 liter car and joins us to talk about it. Far from Home podcast homepage Sign up for the Mongol Rally NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid[...]
A short memoir by Beth Ann Fennelly inspires a discussion on what makes something glamorous rather than trashy. Heating & Cooling by Beth Ann Fennelly (Released:Oct 10, 2017) NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to[...]
What is the best and worst place to live according to expats the world over? Host Tiffany Parks tries to guess as Katy goes over the results of a recent survey conducted by InterNations. Spoiler alert: Italy did not do so great. The Full Expat Insider Survey Article: Not such a dolce vita: Italy ranked among[...]
Does weather dictate where people live or do people follow opportunities? We reflect on the power of weather after Hurricane Harvey floods the US city of Houston. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get[...]
Sometimes a big adventure comes along and you say no. How do you know you're saying no for the right reason? Hosts Katy and Tiffany use the US total eclipse of the sun to fuel the discussion. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers[...]
Jennifer Rumbach works with refugees all over the world, specializing in communicating with the LGBTI community. After a hectic year zig-zagging the world by plane, she is finally staying put in New York. How does living in one place affect her sense of self - and her fight against a particularly resilient parasite? Jenn was[...]
What do a baby eel and a favorite cafe have in common? Next to nothing, unless you're traveling and looking for a sense of place and belonging. We explore how the tiniest things can give you peace of mind. Be sure to visit Twitter or Facebook to see the baby eel! Katy's article about[...]
After an lengthy journey to visit her family, Tiffany returns to her home in Rome. We get her impressions and hear a big announcement from Katy. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the[...]
Today, tips on what NOT to do from an expat who is on her 17th expat assignment, Lori-Lee Emshey. Listen to avoid the mistakes people often make when moving to a new place. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by[...]
Artist Cat Seto completely remade her stationery business after being bullied into a trip to France. Ferme a Papier (Cat's reborn business) NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the conversation going. JOIN THE CONVERSATION Connect with[...]
Travel changes you, but how much? We trace how hosts Tiffany and Katy have changed through the eyes of their childhood friend, Suzanne Morrison. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the conversation[...]
We explore what makes yoga appealing to some? And what youthful notions of travel are unrealistic? NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the conversation going. JOIN THE CONVERSATION Connect with us on Twitter,[...]
Expat Tiffany Parks returns to her hometown of Seattle after years away (in Rome). This episode is a continuation of last week's episode with special guest, author and old-time friend, Suzanne Morrison. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world[...]
Host Tiffany Parks arrives in Seattle from Rome, reuniting with co-host Katy and long-time best friend, Suzanne Morrison. The conversation turns into a bit of a praise-fest. Maybe that's what happens when an expat is gone from home for so many years. REMEMBER to send us your voice memos about LONELINESS for an upcoming show.[...]
Tiffany is heading to the U.S.A after 4 years without visiting her home country. Is her Italian-born toddler ready with enough English to meet his American family? REMEMBER to send us your voice memos about LONELINESS for an upcoming show. Send them to bittersweetlife@mail.com NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode[...]- Hala Alyan is a Palestinian American a poet, novelist (Salt Houses) and clinical psychologist. After her family fled Kuwait when Saddam invaded, they moved a lot! Together we explore storytelling, straddling cultures, loneliness, therapy and what value belongings have when you move constantly. Well, that - and so much more. Hala Alyan Homepage Hala Alyan Poem[...]
Katy cries over a sudden, devastating loss in her life, and the conversation turns to how to decide what you want out of life. REMEMBER to send us your voice memos about LONELINESS for an upcoming show. Send them to bittersweetlife@mail.com NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands[...]
Fan favorite Clare Brown joins us from Split, Croatia to talk about Tinder dating in a foreign country, making it as a freelancer, and the hazards of being happy anywhere. REMEMBER to send us your voice memos about LONELINESS for an upcoming show. Send them to bittersweetlife@mail.com NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to[...]
Have you ever received a sign to do something? Do signs even really exist? Katy and Tiffany share their experiences and yours. REMEMBER to send us your voice memos about LONELINESS for an upcoming show. Send them to bittersweetlife@mail.com NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats[...]
Loneliness. Can it be cured by hitting the road? Katy and Tiffany discuss. REMEMBER to send us your voice memos about LONELINESS for an upcoming show. Send them to bittersweetlife@mail.com NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet[...]
Part two of a rebroadcast of our walking tour through Rome tracing the steps of the painter Caravaggio. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the conversation going. JOIN THE CONVERSATION Connect with[...]
A rebroadcast of our walking tour through Rome tracing the steps of the painter Caravaggio. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the conversation going. JOIN THE CONVERSATION Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook[...]
The cooking discussion continues. Katy and Tiffany discuss their own cooking habits in response to last week's episode with Francesca Montillo of Lazy Italian Culinary Adventures. What happens when Italians express love through food, but you don't like to cook? Tiffany tackles that, and makes a great joke about being a mom. Get cooking using[...]
Italian expat and cooking expert, Francesca Montillo, inspires us to cook and eat with others daily. She also explains what it is like to grow up in small-town Italy, and move permanently to the United States. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers[...]
Do expats and American citizens have a responsibility to resist and take action against President Trump? Ezra Levin, co-executive director of the Indivisible guide, drops by. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the[...]
Starbucks is opening its first Italian location in Milan in 2018. Are you okay with that? Tiffany and Katy discuss the good and bad of homogenized corporate culture spreading throughout the world. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by[...]
Why does time fly sometimes? Why does it slow when you travel? We explore time with the New Yorker's Alan Burdick, author of Why Time Flies. Alan Burdick in The New Yorker New to the show? NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers[...]
Is part of exploring the world exploring sex? Host Katy Sewall talks with journalist (and former expat) Emily Witt about her book Future Sex. Warning: Sexual content. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to[...]
How does your perspective change of your hometown when you live abroad or travel? Katy and Tiffany explore that idea. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the conversation going. JOIN THE CONVERSATION[...]
Katy and Tiffany read your letters and encourage you to email stories of the signs you've received in life before changing course or embarking on a new adventure. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write[...]
Using voice memos, Katy and Tiffany watch the Presidental inauguration of Donald J. Trump from their respective parts of the world - Rome, Italy and Seattle, United States. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write[...]
Actress and conservationist Jane Alexander (Kramer vs. Kramer) joins host Katy Sewall on stage to explore the world and the amazing creatures in it. Thanks to Town Hall Seattle for hosting this event. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the[...]
We celebrate the dumbest thing we ever traveled with. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the conversation going. JOIN THE CONVERSATION Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook or write us @ bittersweetlife@mail.com.[...]
Does it take humility to live in a foreign country? Tiffany and Katy discuss. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the conversation going. JOIN THE CONVERSATION Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook[...]- Rakeen Akila was kidnapped and held for ransom in Afghanistan. Now he's a refugee in Italy. His story is one of amazing resilience and great heartbreak. Come to personally understand our world-wide refugees through one man's experience. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and[...]
Why do foreign doctor's offices seem sketchy sometimes? Why are colors brighter when you travel? This has more to do with your brain than reality. Science writer Erik Vance (Book: Suggestible You) joins us to examine the science behind your brain and its perceptions. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with[...]
What do Italians think about Trump? Does the country that produced Mussolini and invented fascism fear or support the new US president? Tiffany's Italian boss at Where Rome magazine shares his concerns about the election of Donald Trump, as well as the Brexit vote. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode[...]
We capture the raw reaction of Katy and Tiffany to the election of reality TV star/businessman Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency, via voice memos sent across the ocean while it was happening in real time. Warning: There is some swearing in this episode. -------------------------- NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with[...]
What if the values you were raised with are different that those of the foreign country you now live in? Should you maintain old cultural values in a new place? Tiffany and Katy discuss. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over[...]
Katy moved to Rome once. Does that mean she'd be brave enough to do it again? Are you brave enough to move to a brand new city? Katy and Tiffany use a listener email to kick off the show. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of[...]
The Camino de Santiago is a popular pilgrimage route across Spain. Our guest Aarin Wright set off on the Camino with her father after finishing University. Was all the walking as rewarding as she hoped? NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all[...]
Sunny Strong studied abroad in Florence in 1963, leaving her boyfriend Mike at home. Now, after 52 years of marriage, they recall how that time changed them. And we listen to reel-to-reel tapes and letters from that time to really capture Italy in 1963. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with[...]
Historian Mary Beard talks about her new book S.P.Q.R: A History of Ancient Rome. What parts of ancient Rome are alive in modern Rome? For one - Traffic! NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write[...]- Host Tiffany Parks shares a big announcement. Also, Katy and Tiffany explore what it means to live in a temporary place that doesn't feel like home. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get[...]
We visit Gaborone, Botswana where expat Sara Sullivan moved after living in Pakistan. We talk about misperceptions of Africa, 'staying-in-touch' strategies, and the challenge of deciding where to live when your spouse has a job offer in one country and you have one in another. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start[...]
We use linguistics and speech pathology to think about learning languages with special guest Lisa Wilcox. Sound boring? Turns out- it is actually really funny. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the[...]
Host Tiffany Parks in Rome reacts to the earthquakes that rocked Italy on August 24, 2016. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the conversation going. JOIN THE CONVERSATION Connect with us on[...]
If you cry unexpectedly while looking at art, or reading or watching TV, what do those tears mean? Do they indicated buried longings, fears, or loves? Katy and Tiffany discuss. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The[...]
We delve into the archives to get you some free therapy. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the conversation going. JOIN THE CONVERSATION Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook or write us[...]
By listener request, we replay the very first episode of the show, which happened over 2 years ago. A perfect opportunity to introduce The Bittersweet Life to your friends. (Please do!) NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by[...]
Nicole Hardy sailed the world on a 180 ft. square rigged tall ship. Her fantasy idea was rather horrific in reality. As a single woman who takes serious risks, what does it mean to plan a trip that is nothing like you expected? NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET[...]
Our hosts say goodbye to their old lives as Tiffany moves out of her Trastevere apartment, and Katy's Seattle home is torn down. They explore life, loss, and the pain and annoyance of moving. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over[...]
We visit the artist movement of cold war Germany, then Berlin after the wall comes down with guest Rob Spillman. Rob is editor and co-founder of Tin House, a literary magazine in the USA, and author of the memoir All Tomorrow's Parties. Do artists thrive in historically fraught times? What happens when you are a displaced[...]
Reality TV director Scottie Madden's journey from man to woman took 50 years. She and her wife Marcy join Katy to talk about how their relationship has changed and grown and what it's like to film in wild places. Scottie Madden's book Getting Back to Me: From Girl to Boy to Woman in Just Fifty[...]
On July 4th (Independence Day in the USA), many immigrants get their citizenship. In their honor, we rebroadcast the day (host) Tiffany Parks finally became a citizen of Italy. (Other host) Katy Sewall was in Rome to record it, and meet Tiffany's new baby, Aurelio. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start[...]
Writing while traveling. Many of us do it. Professor Daniel Butterworth teaches us how to do it better. Show correction: Ghirlandaio painted the Santa Maria Novella frescoes Dan refers to, not Brunelleschi. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world[...]
How does being an expat affect your politics? Host Tiffany Parks discovers that her politics in Italy are different from her politics in the United States. Do political views remain changed if you move back to your home country? NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of[...]
Why do you like what you like? Journalist Tom Vanderbilt joins us to explore how our likes and dislikes are formed. His new book is You May Also Like: Taste in an Age of Endless Choice. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers[...]
We share our bucket list goals (and yours!!) as our series on goals concludes with part 3. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the conversation going. JOIN THE CONVERSATION Connect with us[...]
Learn how to keep yourself safer by studying fine art. Our guest, Amy Herman, has trained police, doctors, military and special operatives to see the world in a richer way in art galleries. We offer you her secrets. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats[...]
Author Jess Walter (National Book Award finalist & winner of the Edgar Allan Poe Award) joins us to talk about his novel Beautiful Ruins. We also talk about writing in a language you don't speak, what it is like to have your writing translated, and how a book forms slowly over 15 years. NEVER[...]- It feels good to accomplish goals, even tiny, silly ones. Hosts Katy Sewall and Tiffany Parks talk about the goals they've accomplished and those they no longer wish to do. Listen to Goals, Part 1 before this episode. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats[...]
Clare Brown recently moved from London, England to Split, Croatia hoping to explore and write. Instead her life is full of new friends, adventure, and very little quiet time. She joins us with her hilarious and insightful impressions of life as a single woman living abroad for the first time. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW?[...]- A discussion about "bucket list" wishes turns into all the goals and dreams that will never happen. Not as depressing as it sounds. Or is it? New to the show? NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The[...]
New York Times best-selling author Hope Jahren, writer of "Lab Girl," changes how we experience the plants of the world. She also tackles the difficulties of being a female scientist and why us laymen feel intimidated by people who study the natural world. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode[...]
Tiffany and Katy describe the sights of Rome and contemplate Katy's death in this rebroadcast of Episode 24. If you've never heard our series on the five senses, don't miss it. Look for Episodes 21-25. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all[...]
Tiffany and Katy walk the early morning streets of Rome in this rebroadcast of Episode 44. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the conversation going. JOIN THE CONVERSATION Connect with us on[...]
Reality always intrudes on fantasy. Is that always a bad thing? Hosts Tiffany Parks and Katy Sewall discuss. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the conversation going. JOIN THE CONVERSATION Connect with[...]
How much of life is us trying to fulfill the fantasies of our youth? Hosts Tiffany Parks and Katy Sewall explore this idea. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the conversation[...]
The stereotype is that when a child moves to another country, parents are depressed. But is that true? We explore the notion with Singapore-based writer Rashmi J. Dalai. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write[...]
Expats often feel guilt. What happens when you should go home, but don't? Guest Jessica Scott-Reid (Wall Street Journal Expat Blog) joins hosts Katy Sewall and Tiffany Parks to talk about it. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world[...]
Circus performers often become travelers and expats because of their work. Host Katy Sewall visits Teatro Zinzanni (Seattle's circus/dinner theater) to meet Andrea Conway and Wayne Doba, a married couple who specialize in comedy, tap dance and acrobatics. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats[...]
Expats often live in spaces decorated by other people. Interior designer, Rebecca West, shares some ideas on how to make anywhere feel like home. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the conversation going.[...]
When Tiffany's husband Claudio takes a photo with the Karate coach of his youth, Tiffany realizes that by being an expat, her life has no continuity. She can't revisit old teachers and places. How important is a sense of continuity when it comes to life? Hosts Katy Sewall and Tiffany Parks explore the idea. [...]
Hosts Katy Sewall and Tiffany Parks mark the 100th episode by talking about milestones. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the conversation going. JOIN THE CONVERSATION Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook[...]
Host Katy Sewall is greeted by sad news when she returns to Seattle from Rome. Host Tiffany Parks is also facing new restrictions on her life. Does it pay to return home? NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world[...]
It's time for Katy to leave Rome... again. Tiffany and Katy say goodbye and marvel at how unpredictable life and time can be. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the conversation going.[...]
What is it like to feel like a foreigner in your native country? Italian citizen Marta Nathansohn has lived abroad much of her life. Now in Rome, she's having trouble fitting in. She joins Katy and Tiffany to tell her story. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach[...]
Feminist activist and new expat to Rome, Kate McElwee, visits Katy and Tiffany to talk about her fight for women's ordination in the Catholic church and the heartache of being robbed your first week overseas. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all[...]
Hear the harrowing story of Rakeen, a refugee to Rome, Italy from Kabul, Afghanistan. Unbelievable! It might just change how you view asylum seekers. We also encourage you to explore the links below. Refuges to Rome need support and their stories heard. Joel Nafuma Refugee Center in Rome Paul's Place Project in Rome (Facebook page)[...]
Hosts Katy Sewall and Tiffany Parks get ready for the holidays. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the conversation going. JOIN THE CONVERSATION Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook or write us[...]
Hosts Tiffany Parks and Katy Sewall take you on a walking tour of Trastevere, their favorite neighborhood in Rome. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the conversation going. JOIN THE CONVERSATION Connect[...]
Hosts Katy Sewall and Tiffany Parks meet Katy's expat friend, Cassi Griesbach, at an outdoor cafe in Rome. Cassi is a mother of three, currently expecting a 4th. She gives new mom, Tiffany, some much needed advice. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and[...]
Journalist Ugo Barbara joins host Katy Sewall to talk about Italian mobsters, the Roma (aka gypsies), sexual slavery in Italy, and immigration issues. They also explore why Berlusconi came to power and why Ugo was Katy's only Italian friend while living abroad. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET[...]
Movies and books can have a big influence on personal actions. Some even inspire a move to a foreign country. What art influenced you? Hosts Tiffany Parks and Katy Sewall share their personal picks. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over[...]
Missing important events and people is part of living abroad or traveling a lot. Host Katy Sewall missed her 20 year high school reunion to visit Rome. Now she is feeling regretful. Together, Tiffany and Katy reflect on the difficult life choices expats make. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with[...]
Comedian Marsha De Salvatore brings humor to a discussion on living abroad with a serious blood disease. We also touch on socialized health care systems, modern day dating, comedy and the differences between American and Italian women. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and[...]
A conversation about sharing (something expats often have to do) takes a darker turn. Host Tiffany explains what's like to live with a stalker. Katy and Tiffany also explore the difficultly of revealing who you are to the world. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of[...]
Host Tiffany Parks takes you inside the realities of giving birth in Italy... or really... giving birth anywhere. Additional Resources: Touring Rome with Kids? Let Tiffany help. Web Baby Shower-- easy virtual baby showers Listen to more: How to have a home birth in Rome. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with[...]
Host Katy Sewall and her husband Derek kick back in the Villa Borghese park to reflect on being back in Rome. While there, they are visited by Abdul, a immigrant from Bangladesh with roses to sell. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers[...]
Hosts Tiffany Parks and Katy Sewall are together again in Rome, Italy on a very special day. Listen as Tiffany finally gets her Italian citizenship. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the[...]
Native American author Sherman Alexie joins Katy Sewall live on stage with veteran NPR host Steve Scher to talk about urban animal encounters. A longer episode that will delight those who love great storytelling and the creatures in our midst. Contains explicit language. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET[...]
Do expat couples divorce more than other couples? They certainly face different challenges. Writer and former expat, Debra Bruno joins us to talk about her article "Divorce Global Style: For Expat Marriages, Breaking Up is Harder to Do" which appeared on the Wall Street Journal Expat Blog. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid[...]
Celebrity chef, Thierry Rautureau (aka The Chef in the Hat), grew up small town France grilling bread over an open flame. Now he's a big shot chef in Seattle. He joins us with advice for home cooks and insight into our changing attitudes towards eating out. Taped before a live studio audience at Cafe Nordo[...]
Robert Horton is a film critic and temporary expat living in Scotland for six months. What movies inspired him to move abroad? How do movies influence our view of the world? Why are blockbusters aimed exclusively at teenagers? NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats[...]
Jennifer Rumbach works with refugees all over the world. Lately her focus has been on the special needs of LGBTI refugees. She joins host Katy Sewall before a live studio audience for a funny and fascinating conversation that goes from Ghana, to Iraq, to the earthquake in Nepal. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be[...]
One cheap way to travel is to housesit along the way. Find out how to go to your desired destination while saving money. Dalene Heck of Hecktic Travels joins us with tips. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world[...]
Tiffany's baby is due. We say goodbye to her (temporarily) and hear her final thoughts on becoming a parent. We also find out if she's picked a name for her baby boy yet. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the[...]
Armchair travel! Reading can take you anywhere. Today we recommend books that transport you. NPR's Nancy Pearl is famous for giving the best book recommendations. She gives us her selections for the best armchair travel books. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers[...]
Part of traveling is being a guest in other people's homes. Can you relax or are you always trying to be the perfect guest? Tiffany's been living with her in-laws to escape Rome's incredible summer heat. How is staying with family different from friends? NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with[...]
Trying new things is a big part of traveling or living in a foreign country. It's also a way to get to know yourself. Tiffany and Katy muse about newness. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The[...]
Some expats are invisible. They look like they are native in their adopted country. That can be positive and negative. We explore how with writer and expat Surekha A. Yadav who wrote the article "What's It Like to Be an Invisible Expat" for the Wall Street Journal's Expat Blog. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't[...]
What makes the expat lifestyle so addictive? Rashmi Dalai, an American writer in Asia, explores that question with host Katy Sewall. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the conversation going. JOIN THE[...]
It is so hot in Rome and Seattle, it is all people can talk about. How much does weather dictate where you live in the world? Expats on assignment don't get to choose what climate to live in sometimes. What does that mean for their lives? NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to[...]
Tiffany updates us on Rome, her baby and the inappropriate things people are saying to her lately. Katy talks about her upcoming live performance in Seattle and the mysterious illness of her co-worker, Gil. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over[...]
Planning a multi-generational trip isn't easy. Taking that trip is also stressful if you do it wrong. Madeline Jhawar from Italy Beyond the Obvious gives us advice. We'll also explore the difference between people who love trip planning and those who don't. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach[...]
Every country has bureaucracy. Part of living in a new country is learning the hoops to jump through. Host Tiffany Parks has been dealing with a lot of process. What has she learned? NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the[...]
Crows regularly bring gifts to 8-year-old, Gabi Mann. What is she doing right? Listen to a magical tale centered on a hilarious girl and her winged friends. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to[...]
We further explore the difficulties of repatriating with Maria Foley, the blogger behind I was an Expat Wife. She conducted a survey of former expats to discover what struggles they faced coming home. We discuss what she found. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats[...]
Planning a trip to Rome? We offer practical tips and hidden gems to make your vacation great. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the conversation going. JOIN THE CONVERSATION Connect with us[...]
Repatriating is hard. Going home can lead to depression, isolation and wistfulness. Debra Bruno, freelance journalist for the Wall Street Journal, joins us to talk about her article Repatriation Blues: Expats Struggle with the Dark Side of Coming Home. Host Katy Sewall shares her own depression and struggles. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be[...]- How did you learn a foreign language? Our guest JJ Michael learned Thai from math text books. We explore how language is best learned and the expat life in Thailand. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The[...]
Is "expat" a term reserved for white westerners? Are all other races immigrants? That's the argument put forth by writer and activist Mawuna Remarque Koutonin. Today we debate that notion with special guest Keith Cooke. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all[...]
Tiffany is expecting a son. What does that mean for her career? How common are stay-at-home dads in Italy? How does Italian maternity leave compare to what she would have received in the United States? Does a Catholic country revere mothers in a way others countries don't? NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid[...]
Social media. Do you need it to be successful in the modern world? Is Twitter like a bar or a billboard? Guests Jessica Spiegel of Italy Explained and Pam Mandel of Nerd's Eye View join us. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers[...]
Big news on the show today. Things are about to change - for one of us, at least. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the conversation going. JOIN THE CONVERSATION Connect with[...]
Freelance writers Jessica Spiegel (Italy Explained) and Pam Mandel (Nerd's Eye View) join us to discuss travel-writing, working from home, and not loving overseas living. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the[...]
Katy visits "Pompeii: The Exhibition" with her husband Derek. This leads to a discussion on why we are so attracted to the tragic story of Pompeii, and how many years must pass before tragedy turns into gift shop kitsch. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of[...]
What mistakes do museum visitors make? Tiffany Parks gives tips to make your museum visit more enjoyable. We also debate which is better, taking pictures of everything or putting the camera away and living in the moment? NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and[...]
Living in a different time zone than your family and friends can change relationships. Katy Sewall and Tiffany Parks explore how, and that leads to a discussion on irrational fears. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The[...]
A common stereotype about expats is they're maladjusted and running from real life. Is that true? Host Katy Sewall speaks with psychiatrist and former expat, John Wynn, about it, and host Tiffany Parks shares her own story. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and[...]
Life is full of major transitions. For host Katy Sewall, moving to Rome then back to Seattle has been hard. She speaks with psychiatrist and former expat, John Wynn, about why change is tough and how to do transitions well. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands[...]
Travelers and expats often encounter animals. From the humble, common pigeon to a monkey or a great white shark. Today we share animal stories from all over the world. Special guest stars: Andrew Blechman, author of Pigeons: The Fascinating Saga of the World's Most Revered and Reviled Bird and Clark and Evalea Beck, pigeon rescuers. [...]
Gabi (age 8) regularly feeds crows and they bring her shiny things in return. Katy's story about Gabi was instantly viral. Hear Gabi as she shows host Katy Sewall her crow-gift collection. We'll also discover why crows give gifts and how you can earn gifts too! Show guests: Gabi Mann, her mother Lisa, John Marzluff (corvid expert), Tony[...]
For travelers and expats, what feels like home changes sometimes. Katy Sewall and Tiffany Parks share their experience with home and homesickness. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the conversation going. JOIN[...]
Time can seem long or short, important or boring, precious or fleeting. Why do some experiences stay vivid while others seem so long ago? Tiffany and Katy explore how time plays with memories. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the[...]
Expats are often freelancers. Writers, artists, tour guides, radio reporters. Katy and Tiffany talk about the difficulties of freelancing and appeal to you for help. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the[...]
Parts of American culture seem strange after a year living as an expat in Italy. Katy and Tiffany talk about the cultural oddities that stand out after living abroad. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet[...]
Katy's last morning arrives. Tiffany and Katy spend their final moments together before Katy is no longer an expat. Taped during Katy's final 20 minutes in Rome. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to[...]
Moving home after living as an expat isn't an easy thing to go. Tiffany and Katy lament Katy's imminent departure from Rome and discuss the joys and difficulties that lie ahead. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by[...]
Listen as the city of Rome comes alive. Tiffany picks up Katy at dawn, when only garbage men and birds move about. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the conversation going. JOIN[...]
We retrace the steps of the painter Caravaggio who walked the streets of Rome in the late 1500s. We examine his artistic genius and murderous temper while looking at his painting "Madonna di Loreto." (Listen to "Part 1" first.) NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of[...]
The painter Caravaggio walked the streets of Rome in the late 1500s. Today we retrace his steps, examining his artistic genius and murderous temper. Listen to Part 2 for the conclusion. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by[...]
When can an expat legitimately complain about the country they elected to live in? Tiffany and Katy wonder if complaining only for natives and immigrants? NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the[...]- Are long term expats unwilling to make friends with short term expats? Also, when you live abroad, is a big part of friendship saying goodbye? NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the[...]
Tiffany and Katy muse on how memories are formed, recorded, erased and Facebooked. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the conversation going. JOIN THE CONVERSATION Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook or[...]
Students often travel abroad for extended periods of time. Does that make them expats? Our guest, student Peter Dziedzic, says no though he hasn't been home in years. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write[...]
What planning does it take to retire overseas? Can the average person do it? Rose and Wayne Wentz retired to Rome from Seattle. They pass on their practical and helpful advice. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by[...]
Are expats people who feel alien in their native country? Tiffany and Katy explore the feeling of "otherness" and the differences between an expatriate and an immigrant. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to[...]
Tiffany is bilingual and that means translating for others. It can be tiring, but it also gives her power. Has she been editing Katy's speech this whole time? NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write[...]
Moving abroad isn't exclusively for students or childless people. It's an adventure for all ages. Toni DeBella moved to Orvieto, Italy once her son was grown, proving that new dreams can always be made. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over[...]
Meet two parents who boldly moved abroad with a dream rather than a plan. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the conversation going. JOIN THE CONVERSATION Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook[...]
We meet three American girls in Orvieto, Italy. Giulia (age 13), Paloma (age 11), and Viola (age 8) have been expats their whole lives. How do they view the United States from afar? Do they feel like they fit in with the local kids their age? NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to[...]
Train travel is a romantic. Is train travel even better if you record an episode of The Bittersweet Life on the trip? You be the judge. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get[...]
Our discussion on comedy continues with this bonus episode. Drunkenness, ESL, and expat cliches are on the table. Our guest, comedian Marsha De Salvatore, runs Rome's Comedy Club. Note: If you haven't heard Episode 29, listen to that first. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of[...]
What people find funny varies from country to country. Comedian Marsha De Salvatore drops by to make us laugh and dissect why we're laughing. You might be funnier in another culture. Did you even think of that? NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and[...]
Not all medical systems are created equal. Expats often find that out unexpectedly -- like Katy did after giving herself a concussion. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the conversation going. JOIN[...]
Expat Amy has lived overseas since college. First in Italy, then in Nicaragua, then back to Italy. All year she's been planning to return to the United States but she never leaves. Do long term expats lose their sense of truly belonging anywhere? NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode[...]
Moving abroad often means becoming a "minority." For many travelers, this is a new experience. Tiffany, Katy and Katy's husband Derek discuss an eye-opening aspect of becoming an expats. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet[...]
Our series on the five senses wraps up with touch/feel. What does it feel like to be an expat and how is that different from the tourist experience? NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write[...]
Our series on the five senses continues with sight. The sites of Rome have Katy contemplating her own death. Are we just a drop in the bucket? Tiffany and Katy broadcast from a roof on the Capitoline Hill. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats[...]
Our series on the five senses continues with taste. Katy and Tiffany try eating and podcasting at the same time while visiting Eataly, a grocery store in Rome. Do countries have a national flavor? Does living abroad require a change in eating habits? NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode[...]
Our series on the five senses continues with smell. Katy and Tiffany visit a used book store in Rome that smells like Katy's grandparents house in Pennsylvania. Is smell the closest thing we have to time-travel? NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all[...]
We begin a 5-part series on the five senses. This week: Sound. Explore Rome, Italy with your ears, and experience how different a city can sound. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get[...]
When you move overseas - no one knows you. You have no reputation. No expectations. No history. Does that mean you can completely reinvent yourself and become a new person? Or is a complete revamp impossible? NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers[...]
Do you think in English, or do you just think? Which language expresses ideas easier - English or Italian? Tiffany and Katy discuss language in response to listener Adam's email. If you want to hear "Language, Part 1," look for Episode 2. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET[...]
Moving overseas can mean giving up a dream; letting go of ideas of who you are or who you hoped to be. Katy and Tiffany discuss the dreams they let go to live abroad. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over[...]
Why do women feel shame after a bad sexual encounter? Does a lack of support from female friends make an assault worse? Katy and Tiffany talk it over. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write[...]
Cassi and Leon Griesbach moved abroad while expecting a baby. Their plan: Hire local midwives and give birth in their apartment. Cassi shared their story in Episode 12. How did it go? Today we visit with Cassi to find out. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands[...]
Sometimes you become an expat for life. Sometimes you repatriate. When moving back home, what's there to look forward to? Katy and Tiffany try to get excited about the fact Katy will eventually move away. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all[...]
Living abroad requires some cultural integration - language, dining hours, work schedules. But do expats integrate with the more superficial things about a culture? Things like fashion, breakfast food, and kissing hello? Katy and Tiffany explore the culture they've picked up, and what they never will. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to[...]
People you love and (groan) acquaintances looking for a free place to stay will call you if you move somewhere great. What is an expats responsibility to out-of-town company? Can you be too much of a tour guide? Katy slips out of the house while her guests are napping to talk with Tiffany. NEVER[...]
Cassi just arrived in Rome with her husband, two little girls, and a baby on the way. She plans to give birth in her apartment. How do you plan for childbirth in a new country with rudimentary language skills? She shares her story. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode[...]
Our exploration of sexual assault overseas continues with Katy's story. If you haven't heard Part 1, go back and get caught up. This episode picks up right where the other left off. Again, a warning that this episode is not for children. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET[...]
It's harder to read people in a foreign culture. That can lead to embarrassment or much, much, much worse. Today we delve into the dark side of living abroad by sharing our personal accounts of sexual assault. This episode should not be heard by children. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with[...]
It's lights out in Rome. Not for everyone -- for Katy. There's nothing more humbling to an expat than losing a basic necessity and having no idea why or how to get it back. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over[...]
Tiffany dodges Rome's heavy commuter traffic to bring you this episode. The driving rules of your native country seldom apply overseas. That can result in confusion, fury - or worse - a close shave. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over[...]
What's important in life? Accomplishing goals or meeting friends for an aperitivo? Where you live may change the answer. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the conversation going. JOIN THE CONVERSATION Connect[...]
When you move overseas -- without a Visa -- can you travel? Katy has overstayed her welcome and now she is facing passport control. Will she be deported? NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write[...]
If an expat dates a local, does that improve their social standing? Do all cultures flirt in the same way?Tiffany Parks and Katy Sewall discuss dating abroad. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to[...]
Homesickness. It eventually strikes everyone who moves overseas. Tiffany Parks and Katy Sewall share their coping mechanisms and examine what they are actually missing when they miss home. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write[...]
When you become an expat, you expect things to be different. Yet culturally, the holidays make that contrast most vivid. Does Christmas feel different overseas because the commercialism is missing? Katy and Tiffany explore how the holidays affect, and sometimes alter, the expat experience. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with[...]
It can be hard to live life in another language - even if you're fluent. Tiffany explains why. It's also hard to live with no language. Katy explains how the language barrier changes her perspective on dogs, kids and herself. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands[...]
The premiere episode looks at the challenges of expat life from a short-term and long-term perspective. Hosts Katy Sewall and Tiffany Parks describe the fear and liberation of moving abroad. They also tackle the question: If you're not happy, is a city's beauty enough reason to stay? SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all[...]
Life doesn’t have a script. At least, it doesn’t have to. Hosts Katy Sewall and Tiffany Parks explore the challenges and joys of moving abroad and moving home. Whether you’re living overseas, or not ‘ or not yet ‘ join us weekly for unadulterated conversation. Get to know Rome. Laugh at our embarrassments and insights. Most of all, imagine the possibilities for your own life (and meet some famous authors along the way).
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All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are directy attributed to Expat, Repat, Travel, Rome, Seattle, Books, Art, Wonder or their podcast platform partner. If you believe your copyrighted work is in use without your permission, you can follow our process outlined here. See terms of use.
