...and what does how you prepare for a trip say about you? As Katy prepares to fly off to Italy for the second annual Bittersweet Life Rome Trip, she notices some particular habits she has when it comes to how she gets ready for a long trip. On this episode, she compares notes with Tiffany to see if her pre-trip habits are weird or normal. Do you have any strange or unusual ways you prepare for a long trip? Email us here. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, fut...
Oct 07, 2024•29 min•Season 12Ep. 553
This week we're offering a peek behind the paywall by airing an episode on the main show that was originally intended as a bonus episode—shared just with our Patreon supporters. This conversation is a lighthearted examination of what people say incorrectly—and why it bugs us so much. We are hard on ourselves as well (Tiffany finally tells Katy the mistake she makes that drive her crazy!) What are your grammar pet peeves? And what mistakes do Katy and Tiffany always make? You can email us to let ...
Sep 30, 2024•31 min•Season 12Ep. 552
Retiring to Italy—it's a dream for many people. But what about for a single man who has sole custody of his small grandchild? Today's guest, Dreck Baker, is not your typical retiree expat. A retired police officer, Dreck had dreamed of settling in Italy for many years, but rather than seeing his grandbaby as a hindrance to this plan, he was even more inspired to make his expat dreams real when he envisioned their life in Florence together. Hear about the challenges and rewards Dreck and his gran...
Sep 23, 2024•34 min•Season 11Ep. 551
Tiffany is fresh off a two-week trip to Japan, a place that to her feels unique in the world. Hear some of her insights on what she discovered about the daily life and culture of this fascinating country, and which aspects of it she has been inspired to incoporate into her own daily life. And what about the Japanese tea? Is this English Breakfast-lover a convert to matcha? ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send...
Sep 16, 2024•31 min•Season 12Ep. 550
A number of years back, expat podcast Expat Sandwich produced a documentary episode all about... us! As we prepare to launch our 12th season (can you believe it?), we've decided to air the episode in its entirety here on our show. According to Expat Sandwich 's show notes for the episode, "Veteran public radio producer Katy Sewall and writer Tiffany Parks have been friends since the sixth grade. Together they host The Bittersweet Life, a podcast they created four years ago when Katy spent a year...
Sep 09, 2024•47 min•Season 11Ep. 549
In her quest for novelty and trying new things, Katy takes to the skies. What is the craziest thing you ever tried? ______ Want to hear more? Become part of the Bittersweet Life community by supporting just on Patreon ! For as little as $5 per month—less than the price of a coffee in some places—you will have access to multiple bonus episodes every single month. You'll hear conversations that would never take place on the main show, you'll be part of our new chat community, you'll have access to...
Sep 05, 2024•8 min
Tiffany moved to Italy as an expat in the fall of 2004—almost exactly two decades ago. Since then, she's married an Italian and started a family, bought a home in Italy, and become an Italian citizen, so... is it time to change that label from expat to immigrant? In response to a listener email, Tiffany and Katy chat about why Tiffany can't seem to relinquish the label of expat, and how despite being a fully fledged Italian citizen, she still doesn't feel as Italian as the native-born. On this e...
Sep 02, 2024•30 min•Season 11Ep. 548
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 while on that trip, or even things we have made a point to see in our own cities. But this inspiration goes both ways, and sometimes the things we see when traveling inspire us to read more about them, whether in fiction or non-fiction. Lis...
Aug 26, 2024•27 min•Season 11Ep. 547
Dreaming of moving abroad but loath to give up the job you love? On this episode from our archives, we discuss the hazards of giving up or interrupting your career in order to persue your expat dreams. Tiffany also gives listener Darlene practical tips to keep in mind when moving to Italy. Future expats, this is the show for you! Thanks to textile designer Darlene Sullivan, originally of Brooklyn, NY, for writing the letter that prompted this conversation that aired a number of years back. Flash...
Aug 19, 2024•36 min•Season 11Ep. 546
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 was there some luck involved? And how much of what you've achieved can be attributed to privilege? It's tempting to claim you did it alone, but is that even possible? Today we dig into the topic of l...
Aug 12, 2024•32 min•Season 11Ep. 545
Tiffany has an addiction she's decided to break, but she doesn't want to talk about it on the main show. She talks about it on this exclusive bonus episode. Want to hear the whole episode? Become part of the Bittersweet Life community by supporting just on Patreon ! For as little as $5 per month—less than the price of a coffee in some places—you will have access to multiple bonus episodes every single month. You'll hear conversations that would never take place on the main show, you'll be part o...
Aug 08, 2024•3 min
What’s the difference between a goal and a quest? On this episode pulled from our archives (it's August afterall), 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 not in the completion of it. They also brainstorm strategies for choosing the perfect quest, and how intentionality plays into that. -------------------------------...
Aug 05, 2024•34 min•Season 11Ep. 544
Who does leisure better, Italy or America? The answer is probably obvious, but you may be surprised to learn that Italians are emulating more and more the infamous American work ethic. Is the Italian dolce far niente instict enough to overcome the trend of over-productivity? And what can Americans learn from Italians about how to slow down and enjoy life? ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us an email to ge...
Jul 29, 2024•32 min•Season 11Ep. 543
On this exclusive bonus episode, we put you and Tiffany, our queen of trivia, to the test. How many questions about July can you answer correctly? Want to hear more? Become part of the Bittersweet Life community by supporting just on Patreon ! For as little as $5 per month—less than the price of a coffee in some places—you will have access to multiple bonus episodes every single month. You'll hear conversations that would never take place on the main show, you'll be part of our new chat communit...
Jul 25, 2024•9 min
From all accounts, the ancient Romans knew how to do leisure—the priviledged classes at least. According to historians, they didn't see leisure time as something they got to enjoy once their obligations were completed, but rather, as the ideal state in which to live, when they had control over all their actions. Can we learn something from this? Are we looking at leisure the wrong way? ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over th...
Jul 22, 2024•32 min•Season 11Ep. 542
What is it like to divide your life between two countries? It sounds like the best of both worlds, but is it really? Today we are joined by someone who does just that, Laurel Attanasio, founder of Laurel Ann, LLC a boutique travel company specializing in wellness adventures. Laurel divides her time between the US and Europe, mostly Italy but occasionally Spain and Portugal —or even further afield . She often spends as many as five months of the year abroad, leading yoga retreats and adventure tr...
Jul 15, 2024•43 min•Season 11Ep. 541
Tiffany's had a rough week. And to make matters worse, some of the people in her life have been driving her absolutely crazy. On this exclusive bonus episode, she vents her frustration. Want to hear more? Become part of the Bittersweet Life community by supporting just on Patreon ! For as little as $5 per month—less than the price of a coffee in some places—you will have access to multiple bonus episodes every single month. You'll hear conversations that would never take place on the main show, ...
Jul 11, 2024•2 min
"When you’re a woman of a certain age, you are only promised that everything will get worse. But what if everything you’ve been told is a lie?" This is the leading question of Glynnis MacNicol's dazzling new memoir, I'm Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself . The acclaimed author joins us this week for a personal, intimate and delightful interview that explores her unabashed pursuit of pleasure—and why she was inspired to write a book about it. After spending 16 excruciating months isolated and alone in h...
Jul 08, 2024•48 min•Season 11Ep. 540
We all have our beloved rituals, the things we do that center us, that comfort us, that make us feel that all is right with the world. It can be anything from the way we prepare and enjoy our favorite morning beverage, to walking our dog the same route every day, to watching a favorite show before bed. But what happens when we get so attached to these rituals that we can't do without them? Does this rigidity and inflexibiltiy not limit us? Is comfort overrated? To travel is, almost by definition...
Jul 01, 2024•40 min•Season 11Ep. 539
One of the hardest things about expat life is when your friends inevitably leave. For some expats, this happens like clockwork every single year (usually in June), causing heartache, disappointment, and a sense of continually having to begin again with a fresh set of expat friends. An article on The Culture Blend (that was mentioned to us by one of our expat listeners) details this phenomenon perfectly, describing the three types of expats: Stayers, Goers, and Newbies? Which one are you? Or is t...
Jun 24, 2024•31 min•Season 11Ep. 538
On this bonus episode exclusively for our Patreon supporters, we take you inside a very loud, very LATE dinner celebration marking the end of the school year in Rome. How late is too late for a third grader to party? Depends on who you ask. Want to hear more? Become part of the Bittersweet Life community by supporting just on Patreon ! For as little as $5 per month—less than the price of a coffee in some places—you will have access to multiple bonus episodes every single month. You'll hear conve...
Jun 20, 2024•7 min
Whether you're a newly minted expat wondering how to go about filing your US taxes, or a longterm expat who wants to make sure you're doing it right—or maybe it's been years since you filed a return and now you're scared to get help—this episode is for you. Expat tax expert, and founder and CEO of My Expat Taxes , Nathalie Goldstein joins us to make sense of the often mystifying tax requirements that US expats have to grapple with every single year. As an enrolled agent with a focus on expat tax...
Jun 17, 2024•40 min•Season 11Ep. 537
Katy continues to have epiphanies as she challenges herself every week in her pottery class. In a continuation of our Trying Something New episode, we talk about what it is that keeps us trying when those new things inevitably continue to be hard work. We also discuss those "fantasy self" items we buy for ourselves when, full of ambition, we decide we are going to start a new hobby before we really know what it entails. We also take the opportunity to hear from our listeners about the hardest th...
Jun 10, 2024•41 min•Season 11Ep. 535
Want to hear more? Become part of the Bittersweet Life community by supporting just on Patreon ! For as little as $5 per month—less than the price of a coffee in some places—you will have access to multiple bonus episodes every single month. You'll hear conversations that would never take place on the main show, you'll be part of our new chat community, you'll have access to Patreon-only content in addition to bonus episodes, and you'll be invited to join us for regular live meet-ups. But most i...
Jun 06, 2024•6 min
The Pope has given the green light to canonize the very first saint from the millennial generation, Italian Carlo Acutis. Does it seem strange to have a saint from your own generation? Or one from a generation even younger than yours? Does it take away a little from the "magic" of the saints, who lived 2000 years ago and have improbable and unbelievable legends swirling around them? Or does it add to the wonder of the saints to know that these miracles—according to the Catholic church—are still ...
Jun 02, 2024•35 min•Season 11Ep. 535
Want to hear more? Become part of the Bittersweet Life community by supporting just on Patreon ! For as little as $5 per month—less than the price of a coffee in some places—you will have access to multiple bonus episodes every single month. You'll hear conversations that would never take place on the main show, you'll be part of our new chat community, you'll have access to Patreon-only content in addition to bonus episodes, and you'll be invited to join us for regular live meet-ups. But most i...
May 30, 2024•3 min
The difficulty is the point. How often have we been seduced into thinking that something we've never tried must be easy, simply because experts make it look that way? On this episode, we talk about the new things we've recently tried, and how often we underestimated how difficult they would be. As Katy dips her toes into the art of pottery, she learns that failing is a crucial part of the learning process. If you liked this episode, don't miss Episode 517: Could You Miss Discovering Your Passion...
May 27, 2024•37 min•Season 11Ep. 534
Want to hear more? Become part of the Bittersweet Life community by supporting just on Patreon ! For as little as $5 per month—less than the price of a coffee in some places—you will have access to multiple bonus episodes every single month. You'll hear conversations that would never take place on the main show, you'll be part of our new chat community, you'll have access to Patreon-only content in addition to bonus episodes, and you'll be invited to join us for regular live meet-ups. But most i...
May 23, 2024•3 min
If you've been dreaming of moving to Italy but thought it was impossible, your chance has finally arrived! Italy has just launched the so-called "Digital Nomad Visa" which enables non-EU-nationals who are self-employed or remote workers who derive their income entirely outside of Italy, the chance to live in Italy on a year-by-year basis. For Italaphiles and wannabe expats around the globe, this may just be a dream come true. Tiffany and Katy discuss the details of this new visa, what the requir...
May 20, 2024•38 min•Season 11Ep. 533
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 that felt wholly different from what she is used to, and discusses with Tiffany how they compare with the cities of Rome and Seattle. ------------------------------------- AD...
May 13, 2024•45 min•Season 11Ep. 532
