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 of storytelling is universal. We all feel it. Today Katy plays a story that she, long ago in her babysitting years, had memorized for those moments when the stubborn kids she was watching refused ...
May 11, 2023•16 min•Season 10Ep. 206
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 even the freedom to decide what and when to eat. Isidora Salcedo, a visual artist from Chile, has run the gamut of au pair experiences, and she joins us this week to talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly of b...
May 08, 2023•23 min•Season 10Ep. 479
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 Tiffany knows better. After spending 19 years exploring the Eternal City, she has found amazing works of art hidden in places you would never expect, often places that are open so rarel...
May 04, 2023•9 min•Season 10Ep. 205
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 tour of Rome's marvelous hidden masterpieces with us every single morning , a kick-off aperitivo all together on a terrace with a stunning view of the entire city, private transport from...
May 01, 2023•24 min•Season 10Ep. 478
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 boat that has been with him on the greatest adventures of his life; a boat that was named after his late father. Don't miss this touching story. ----------------------------------...
Apr 27, 2023•8 min•Season 10Ep. 204
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 into the ether, and even just what's going on in your lives. Every so often we dive into that listener mail bag and answer a few questions live on air, and that is what we do today....
Apr 24, 2023•19 min•Season 10Ep. 477
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 Italian words actually mean. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us an email to g...
Apr 20, 2023•10 min•Season 10Ep. 203
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 used anymore? And how much time will be wasted going through hundreds of thousands of documents to make these changes? Not to mention, is the Italian language really under attack? Does "Angloma...
Apr 17, 2023•38 min•Season 10Ep. 476
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 and logistics, with his over 20 years in the industry. Josh debunks expat moving myths like the need to get rid of all your worldly possessions or the inevitable stress around moving, an...
Apr 13, 2023•18 min•Season 10Ep. 202
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 the road, and how does exploring Italy from top to bottom alter your perception of time? He joins us this week to talk all about it. Find out more about Jess Walter at his website . ----...
Apr 10, 2023•31 min•Season 10Ep. 475
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 crushed by the crowds, today is your lucky day. We list nearly a dozen amazing, significant, and beautiful museums in Rome that are almost empty, even in high season. If you're planning a trip to Rome, don't miss this ...
Apr 06, 2023•17 min•Season 10Ep. 201
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 changes in an instant... for the better! We hope you've had plenty of those moments in your life too, and this week we chat about some of ours. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US:...
Apr 03, 2023•24 min•Season 10Ep. 474
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 from an episode he appeared on many years ago. - ------------------------------------ ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us an email to get the conversat...
Mar 30, 2023•21 min•Season 10Ep. 200
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 strict, reliable routine), and when those things, for reasons outside your control, are suddenly gone, it's amazing how different life can suddenly feel. Today we discuss ho...
Mar 27, 2023•37 min•Season 10Ep. 473
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 entire month. Out of curiosity, we decided to pull an episode from that very month to reair for you today, a conversation all about fantasy. (If you like this episode, don't miss its counterpart,...
Mar 23, 2023•32 min•Season 10Ep. 199
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 whether you love March or hate it, it's never easy when it seems like everyone you know is traveling and you are stuck at home. The reality of working from home is starting to get old. Katy...
Mar 20, 2023•28 min•Season 10Ep. 472
"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 he has turned from reporting on others adventures to living them himself. The full interview can be found here , and be sure to check out Scott's podcas...
Mar 16, 2023•5 min•Season 10Ep. 198
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, the lost feeling of not knowing the "terms of engagement," and the surprise in finding that her Americanness is often perceived as "too much." It wasn't until she went ba...
Mar 13, 2023•31 min•Season 10Ep. 471
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, Tiffany recalls a few times in her nearly two decades of living in Rome when she turned on the wily arts of furbizia to get her way, and to avoid being a fessa . But that leads ...
Mar 09, 2023•11 min•Season 10Ep. 197
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 that's a bit more flexible and relaxed, where people are more apt to "live and let live"? ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future exp...
Mar 06, 2023•28 min•Season 10Ep. 470
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 curtain to what a piece of tape can sound like before she edits it, as well as practical advice on how to improve your speaking voice. If you dream of starting your own podcast one day, don't mis...
Mar 02, 2023•12 min•Season 10Ep. 196
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 in, since she barely speaks the language. Tiffany and Katy spill on how much Italian you really need to know to get by, what you can do to improve it, and why it's so important to (eventually) speak the language of...
Feb 27, 2023•27 min•Season 10Ep. 469
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 our newsletter for a full list with addresses, websites, and visiting information, as well as a few Florence restaurant recs. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and ...
Feb 23, 2023•18 min•Season 10Ep. 195
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 be to travel to a place that you haven't been in over a decade, but that you have a few extremely strong impressions of from past trips. Tiffany takes a jaunt down memory lane to...
Feb 20, 2023•30 min•Season 10Ep. 468
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 the world. Send us an email to get the conversation started. BECOME A PATRON: Pledge your monthly support of The Bittersweet Life and recei...
Feb 16, 2023•7 min•Season 10Ep. 194
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 the longer you stay in a foreign country? Katy can relate, remembering her time as a completely invisible (she felt) foreigner living in Trastevere, where no one seemed to know she existed. Does ...
Feb 13, 2023•29 min•Season 10Ep. 467
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 on having a mom who is constantly (according to him) taking his picture, what he likes and dislikes about finding her camera pointed at him all the time, and ...
Feb 09, 2023•10 min•Season 10Ep. 193
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 piece hit home because Tiffany (like many people) often feels the urge to capture every moment, the need to pose photos just so , and even the sense of having missed out on special moments be...
Feb 06, 2023•29 min•Season 10Ep. 466
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 while she was living in Rome. And remember, anyone who donates to this podcast—once or regularly —receives a hand-written letter from Katy. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WI...
Feb 02, 2023•12 min•Season 10Ep. 192
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 in the the Victorian period who had been in Rome for three months, and as she prepares to leave forever, she contemplates the fact that she will never ever see the painting she is lo...
Jan 30, 2023•32 min•Season 10Ep. 465
