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 you get the most out of your time in Rome, despite the blistering heat. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, f...
Jun 30, 2022•14 min•Season 9Ep. 161
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 the passage of time, and our expectations for the future. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us a...
Jun 27, 2022•28 min•Season 9Ep. 434
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 in—what smells different? How is the soundscape different? On this mini-episode, she takes you along on this intimate moment of reflection and observation. ------------------------------------- ...
Jun 23, 2022•9 min•Season 9Ep. 160
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 the heck did St. Francis use a a stone for a pillow?) Tiffany and Katy visit this pilgrimage site on this episode and talk about St. Francis's history and what made him and his order so different from the others of his time. ------...
Jun 20, 2022•22 min•Season 9Ep. 433
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 listen to this mini-epispde before your next trip to Italy! As promised, here are the OFFICIAL online ticket offices for some of Rome's top sites: Colosseum Vatican Museums Borghese Gallery ---------...
Jun 16, 2022•14 min•Season 9Ep. 159
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 picking up after over four years away. Sometimes they are obvious things, like the constant buzz of scooters or the smell of cigarettes, and sometimes the...
Jun 13, 2022•32 min•Season 9Ep. 432
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 least once in our lives... and one we all want to avoid. Just in time for our Summer in Rome series, Tiffany lays out smart practical tips gathered over nearly two doz...
Jun 09, 2022•18 min•Season 9Ep. 158
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 in the same city again for the first time in over four years... and they have to tape their first episode over Zoom. What are the odds? ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WI...
Jun 06, 2022•31 min•Season 9Ep. 431
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 zipper broken, she tries to decide whether or not it's worth it to fix it, with the impossible challange of trying to look objectively at a piece of luggage that has been her constant travel companion. --...
Jun 01, 2022•11 min•Season 9Ep. 157
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 about objects, to how specific we choose to be—or are forced to be—depending on the language we are speaking. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, fut...
May 30, 2022•32 min•Season 9Ep. 430
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 whatever reason make them happy. On this mini-episode, Tiffany tunes into the ordinary sounds of an ordinary day. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, futu...
May 26, 2022•12 min•Season 9Ep. 156
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 mean something to them, and we got so many, we almost couldn't fit them all in one episode! Happy listening ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travel...
May 23, 2022•32 min•Season 9Ep. 429
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 about the things you can find in any American home but are blatantly absent in Italian ones, and vice versa, the things the average Italian couldn't live without but are impossible t...
May 19, 2022•15 min•Season 9Ep. 155
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 Less Free . The authors explain how, “as COVID-19 spread around the world, so did government censorship. The Infodemic lays bare not just old-fashioned censorship, b...
May 16, 2022•43 min•Season 9Ep. 428
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 closest to us, not because they are about to die, but because we simply see them much less often than we once did. On this mini-episode, Katy reads some excerpts from Tim's recent opinion piece for...
May 12, 2022•10 min•Season 9Ep. 154
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 grab a few of those letters and read them on air, address the questions and offer our suggestions. Today we hear from a third culture kid who is married to another third culture kid, and ...
May 09, 2022•22 min•Season 9Ep. 427
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 cousin has come to surprise him. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us an email to get the conve...
May 05, 2022•10 min•Season 9Ep. 153
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’ experience as a tour guide in Rome, the challenges, the rewards, and the best part of all: taking our podcast listeners on tour when they are in Rome! Tiffany shares how tiring it can be to be engaging, entertaining, and ...
May 02, 2022•24 min•Season 9Ep. 426
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 the people around you, and get to know each other better. Listen to Katy tell some spontaneous stories, from bad jobs to animal encounters. ------------------------------------...
Apr 28, 2022•15 min•Season 9Ep. 152
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 daily life. Andrea’s passion and life’s work is to cultivate a sense of wonder, and to help others do the same. She discusses how her need for wonder has grown out of her innate sensitivity, anxiety, f...
Apr 25, 2022•29 min•Season 9Ep. 425
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 at the Circus Maximus to an amazing solar phenomenon at the Pantheon. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world....
Apr 21, 2022•9 min•Season 9Ep. 151
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 or where we once lived after a long absence. Some places have changed so much since we’ve been there, that we are loath to have our version of that city be changed by modern developments. On the ot...
Apr 18, 2022•24 min•Season 9Ep. 424
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, and—perhaps most importantly—what to do on Easter Monday (Pasquetta)! ------------------------------------ ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us ...
Apr 14, 2022•12 min•Season 9Ep. 150
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 reveals the one Italian gramatical rule she still can't wrap her head around. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats...
Apr 11, 2022•33 min•Season 9Ep. 423
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 them into an upcoming show! Just capture them on your voice recording app and send them to us at bittersweetlifepodcast@gmail.com . ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach ex...
Apr 07, 2022•12 min•Season 9Ep. 149
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 joys. We also share some of the wonderful and not-so-nice things that have happened to us on our own solo voyages, as well as a few hacks on how to make the most of it (and not get too lonely)...
Apr 04, 2022•25 min•Season 9Ep. 422
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 on glittering mosaics . This week we continue our exploration of free art in Rome's churches with a tour of the city's spectacular hidden cloisters. These beautiful and relaxin...
Mar 31, 2022•20 min•Season 9Ep. 148
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 talks about what horses and humans have in common, and what she loves about both of these magnificent animals. She also delves into how learning...
Mar 28, 2022•30 min•Season 9Ep. 421
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 relationship with him. In doing so, she got to know her former colleague on a deeper, more personal, level. Here's the result. Find the original KUOW story her...
Mar 24, 2022•9 min•Season 9Ep. 147
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 home—you failed to buy and have always regretted it? For this conversation about the souvenirs we love, loathe, and left behind, we invited our regular Patreon and PayPal supporters to a live episo...
Mar 21, 2022•29 min•Season 9Ep. 420
