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Episoder
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What's going on in the life of The Bittersweet Life podcast's favorite 9-year-old redhead?
On this exclusive bonus episode, Tiffany catches up our Patreon supporters on the life and times of Aurelio, how he's growing, and what he loves lately.
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 importantly, you'll be doing your part to help keep this show alive—an independent podcast with no corporate support. (You'll also help keep it virtually ad-free!)
Check our our Patreon page for all the details, and consider joining us at the $5 level or above. We are eternally grateful!
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COME TO ROME WITH US: For the third year in a row, we are hosting an intimate group of listeners for a magical and unforgettable week in Rome, this October 2025! Discover the city with us as your guides, seeing a side to Rome tourists almost never see. Find out more here.
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 receive awesome prizes in return for your generosity! Visit our Patreon site to find out more.
TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.
START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up.
SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the podcast to make sure you never miss an episode. Click here to find us on a variety of podcast apps.
WRITE A REVIEW: Leave us a rating and a written review on iTunes so more listeners can find us.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. You can also connect to us through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Tag #thebittersweetlife with your expat story for a chance to be featured!
NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET
BOOK: Want to read Tiffany's book, Midnight in the Piazza? Learn more here or order on Amazon.
TOUR ROME: If you're traveling to Rome, don't miss the chance to tour the city with Tiffany as your guide!
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To cruise or not to cruise?
Most travelers have strong opinions about cruising, and can be easily divided into two factions: the cruise-lovers and the never-cruisers. But what is travel for if not to park your biases and open your mind a little? Is it possible that a never-cruiser could actually (gasp!) enjoy a cruise?
On this episode, Katy describes how she was roped into going on a cruise with her sisters, in order to participate in their annual sisters' trip "Sisterfest," an unmissable event in Katy's year.
And you know what? She didn't hate it.
Despite being someone who savors slow travel, likes to go back to the same places over and over, and aims to get to know a place deeply over the course weeks or months, Katy found something to appreciate in cruise travel.
She talks about the good, the bad, and the hilarious when it comes to cruising, and why—as many veteran cruisers probably know—it's not about where you go, it's about what's going on on the ship.
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COME TO ROME WITH US: For the third year in a row, we are hosting an intimate group of listeners for a magical and unforgettable week in Rome, this October 2025! Discover the city with us as your guides, seeing a side to Rome tourists almost never see. Find out more here.
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 receive awesome prizes in return for your generosity! Visit our Patreon site to find out more.
TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.
START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up.
SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the podcast to make sure you never miss an episode. Click here to find us on a variety of podcast apps.
WRITE A REVIEW: Leave us a rating and a written review on iTunes so more listeners can find us.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. You can also connect to us through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Tag #thebittersweetlife with your expat story for a chance to be featured!
NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET
BOOK: Want to read Tiffany's book, Midnight in the Piazza? Learn more here or order on Amazon.
TOUR ROME: If you're traveling to Rome, don't miss the chance to tour the city with Tiffany as your guide!
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Mangler du episoder?
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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?
On this episode from our archives, we sit down with British mum Kristie Prada, author and creator of the blog Mamma Prada. She and her Italian husband live in the UK and are serious about raising their children to speak both languages flawlessly. In her effort to do just that, she has become an expert on childhood bilingualism, and shares that knowledge onto her blog.
On this episode, Kristie shares her favorite resources for raising children in two languages, the most interesting of which is double-language book series by One Third Stories. She also shares the brilliant idea of teaching your child about the other country and its culture as a way of piquing his or her interest in the language (instead of the other way around), and offers tips and tricks for staying strong when your older child resists the minority language.
If bilingualism is something you want for your child, this is the episode for you!
This episode also features a bonus appearance by none other than Tiffany’s son Aurelio, who offers a peek into the mind of a bilingual toddler, and answers Katy’s hard-hitting questions, such as, “What does a cow say?”
***The Bittersweet Life podcast has been on the air for an impressive 10+ years! In order to help newer listeners discover some of our earlier episodes, every Friday we are now airing an episode from our vast archives! Enjoy!***
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COME TO ROME WITH US: For the third year in a row, we are hosting an intimate group of listeners for a magical and unforgettable week in Rome, this October 2025! Discover the city with us as your guides, seeing a side to Rome tourists almost never see. Find out more here.
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 receive awesome prizes in return for your generosity! Visit our Patreon site to find out more.
TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.
START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up.
SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the podcast to make sure you never miss an episode. Click here to find us on a variety of podcast apps.
WRITE A REVIEW: Leave us a rating and a written review on iTunes so more listeners can find us.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. You can also connect to us through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Tag #thebittersweetlife with your expat story for a chance to be featured!
NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET
BOOK: Want to read Tiffany's book, Midnight in the Piazza? Learn more here or order on Amazon.
TOUR ROME: If you're traveling to Rome, don't miss the chance to tour the city with Tiffany as your guide!
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What does it mean to do the Giro delle Sette Chiese, or the Route of the Seven Churches? And what does it have to do with Rome's newly inaugurated Jubilee?
Find out on this all-new mini-episode! Plus, learn some fun facts about Rome's seven most important churches!
To find out more about Rome's Jubilee, don't miss our previous mini-episode, Bittersweet Moment #215: Rome's Jubilee Arrives!
And don’t miss your chance to visit Rome with us, on our intimate Rome listener trip, coming up in October 2025. Find out all about it here, or email us for more information!
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COME TO ROME WITH US: For the third year in a row, we are hosting an intimate group of listeners for a magical and unforgettable week in Rome, this October 2025! Discover the city with us as your guides, seeing a side to Rome tourists almost never see. Find out more here.
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 receive awesome prizes in return for your generosity! Visit our Patreon site to find out more.
TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.
START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up.
SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the podcast to make sure you never miss an episode. Click here to find us on a variety of podcast apps.
WRITE A REVIEW: Leave us a rating and a written review on iTunes so more listeners can find us.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. You can also connect to us through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Tag #thebittersweetlife with your expat story for a chance to be featured!
NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET
BOOK: Want to read Tiffany's book, Midnight in the Piazza? Learn more here or order on Amazon.
TOUR ROME: If you're traveling to Rome, don't miss the chance to tour the city with Tiffany as your guide!
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Is being stubborn a good thing or a bad thing?
Tiffany has always considered it one of her best qualities, but after listening to last week's expat interview with Darlene Sullivan, now she's not so sure.
Katy and Tiffany discuss their takeaways from the previous episode, and Tiffany shares a story about the time being stubborn definitely did not benefit her.
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COME TO ROME WITH US: For the third year in a row, we are hosting an intimate group of listeners for a magical and unforgettable week in Rome, this October 2025! Discover the city with us as your guides, seeing a side to Rome tourists almost never see. Find out more here.
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 receive awesome prizes in return for your generosity! Visit our Patreon site to find out more.
TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.
START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up.
SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the podcast to make sure you never miss an episode. Click here to find us on a variety of podcast apps.
WRITE A REVIEW: Leave us a rating and a written review on iTunes so more listeners can find us.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. You can also connect to us through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Tag #thebittersweetlife with your expat story for a chance to be featured!
NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET
BOOK: Want to read Tiffany's book, Midnight in the Piazza? Learn more here or order on Amazon.
TOUR ROME: If you're traveling to Rome, don't miss the chance to tour the city with Tiffany as your guide!
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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 of New York, London, and Rome), Giovanna ponders what to do when the novelty of expat life wears off and you’re left with just... life.
She also asks the question: does moving to the tiny Italian town where her mom was born somehow nullify the life her parents strived to create as immigrants in the States?
We explore this and other topics on this episode pulled from our archives.
***The Bittersweet life podcast has been on the air for an impressive 10+ years! In order to help newer listeners discover some of our earlier episodes, every Friday we are now airing an episode from our vast archives! Enjoy!***
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COME TO ROME WITH US: For the third year in a row, we are hosting an intimate group of listeners for a magical and unforgettable week in Rome, this October 2025! Discover the city with us as your guides, seeing a side to Rome tourists almost never see. Find out more here.
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 receive awesome prizes in return for your generosity! Visit our Patreon site to find out more.
TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.
START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up.
SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the podcast to make sure you never miss an episode. Click here to find us on a variety of podcast apps.
WRITE A REVIEW: Leave us a rating and a written review on iTunes so more listeners can find us.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. You can also connect to us through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Tag #thebittersweetlife with your expat story for a chance to be featured!
NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET
BOOK: Want to read Tiffany's book, Midnight in the Piazza? Learn more here or order on Amazon.
TOUR ROME: If you're traveling to Rome, don't miss the chance to tour the city with Tiffany as your guide!
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On this week's exlusive bonus episode, we talk about the catastrophic fires that are, as of recording time, still raging in the Los Angeles area, and how they are affecting some of Tiffany's closest family members.
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 importantly, you'll be doing your part to help keep this show alive—an independent podcast with no corporate support. (You'll also help keep it virtually ad-free!)
Check our our Patreon page for all the details, and consider joining us at the $5 level or above. We are eternally grateful!
-------------------------------------
COME TO ROME WITH US: For the third year in a row, we are hosting an intimate group of listeners for a magical and unforgettable week in Rome, this October 2025! Discover the city with us as your guides, seeing a side to Rome tourists almost never see. Find out more here.
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 receive awesome prizes in return for your generosity! Visit our Patreon site to find out more.
TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.
START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up.
SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the podcast to make sure you never miss an episode. Click here to find us on a variety of podcast apps.
WRITE A REVIEW: Leave us a rating and a written review on iTunes so more listeners can find us.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. You can also connect to us through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Tag #thebittersweetlife with your expat story for a chance to be featured!
NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET
BOOK: Want to read Tiffany's book, Midnight in the Piazza? Learn more here or order on Amazon.
TOUR ROME: If you're traveling to Rome, don't miss the chance to tour the city with Tiffany as your guide!
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You've dreamed of moving to Italy since you were 16 years old, and after years of scheming and planning, you finally made it happen.
But... you're not happy.
Could it be that you made a mistake in moving abroad? Or maybe you're just not in the right town.
Longtime listener Darlene Sullivan joins us this week to talk about what happens when expat reality doesn't quite live up to your dreams—but how that doesn't necessarily mean you've made a mistake. Sometimes you just need to recalibrate and find a living situation that matches your personality.
Another important lesson: don't underestimate how trauma might be souring your expat experience. Just because something bad happens in your adopted country, doesn't mean you're not supposed to be there.
If you haven't already, go back and listen to our first interview with Darlene, shortly after her move to Bolzano, Italy back in 2020, Episode 435: When Expat Dreams Come True.
Darlene is a freelance textile designer. Find her work at her website. Or find her on Instagram here. If you're interested in reading her Master's thesis, Flocking Together, which she mentions in the episode, it's available here.
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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 receive awesome prizes in return for your generosity! Visit our Patreon site to find out more.
TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.
START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up.
SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the podcast to make sure you never miss an episode. Click here to find us on a variety of podcast apps.
WRITE A REVIEW: Leave us a rating and a written review on iTunes so more listeners can find us.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. You can also connect to us through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Tag #thebittersweetlife with your expat story for a chance to be featured!
NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET
BOOK: Want to read Tiffany's book, Midnight in the Piazza? Learn more here or order on Amazon.
TOUR ROME: If you're traveling to Rome, don't miss the chance to tour the city with Tiffany as your guide!
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Have you ever wondered how speaking a second or third language more often than your native tongue can reshape your thinking?
In this episode from the archives of The Bittersweet Life, Tiffany reflects on 15 years of living abroad and how it has transformed the way she communicates—even in her first language.
We dive into the surprising cognitive and emotional challenges of navigating life in a foreign language, especially for writers, who rely so heavily on nuanced expression.
Plus, we explore how bilingual or multilingual couples often gravitate toward one shared language in their relationship—and how this dynamic might shift dramatically when raising a child in a multilingual household.
Tune in to discover the fascinating ways language shapes identity, relationships, and the thought-process.
Language is one of our most popular topics! You might be interested in these past episodes about language:
Episode 476 Italy Bans the English Language
Episode 430 Does Language Shape Thinking?
Episode 355 Losing Language
Episode 63 LANGUAGE, Part 3 (with J J Michael)
Episode 19 LANGUAGE, Part 2
Episode 2 LANGUAGE, Part 1
Bittersweet Moment #96: Disappearing Languages
Bittersweet Moment #54: Learning to Read in Two Languages at Once
Bittersweet Moment #3: LANGUAGE
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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 receive awesome prizes in return for your generosity! Visit our Patreon site to find out more.
TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.
START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up.
SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the podcast to make sure you never miss an episode. Click here to find us on a variety of podcast apps.
WRITE A REVIEW: Leave us a rating and a written review on iTunes so more listeners can find us.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. You can also connect to us through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Tag #thebittersweetlife with your expat story for a chance to be featured!
NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET
BOOK: Want to read Tiffany's book, Midnight in the Piazza? Learn more here or order on Amazon.
TOUR ROME: If you're traveling to Rome, don't miss the chance to tour the city with Tiffany as your guide!
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Rome's Jubilee is here!
And our Bittersweet Moments are back! (And you thought Christmas was over.)
On this short-but-sweet mid-week mini-episode, Tiffany explains the history and origins of this very Roman and VERY Catholic event, why it's so important, and what to do if you want to take part in this historic pilgrimage.
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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 receive awesome prizes in return for your generosity! Visit our Patreon site to find out more.
TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.
START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up.
SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the podcast to make sure you never miss an episode. Click here to find us on a variety of podcast apps.
WRITE A REVIEW: Leave us a rating and a written review on iTunes so more listeners can find us.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. You can also connect to us through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Tag #thebittersweetlife with your expat story for a chance to be featured!
NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET
BOOK: Want to read Tiffany's book, Midnight in the Piazza? Learn more here or order on Amazon.
TOUR ROME: If you're traveling to Rome, don't miss the chance to tour the city with Tiffany as your guide!
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So you want to move to Italy but... HOW???
Today we are joined by a guest who happens to have all the answers.
Thea Duncan is the self-described "fairy godmother to people's dolce vita dreams." She's the founder of Doing Italy, where she and her team help people gain the knowledge and resources they need to move to Italy as well as buy property in Italy with ease, all while avoiding many of the pitfalls that negatively affect other expats when moving abroad.
She answers all our questions, including: Is it really true that you can buy an Italian villa for $1?
And, what is the thing most people get wrong when attempting their big move?
As well as the most basic: what are the easiest ways to move to Italy legally?
If moving to Italy is a dream for you, don't miss this interview!
Find Thea at her webite, or on Facebook or Instagram.
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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 receive awesome prizes in return for your generosity! Visit our Patreon site to find out more.
TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.
START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up.
SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the podcast to make sure you never miss an episode. Click here to find us on a variety of podcast apps.
WRITE A REVIEW: Leave us a rating and a written review on iTunes so more listeners can find us.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. You can also connect to us through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Tag #thebittersweetlife with your expat story for a chance to be featured!
NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET
BOOK: Want to read Tiffany's book, Midnight in the Piazza? Learn more here or order on Amazon.
TOUR ROME: If you're traveling to Rome, don't miss the chance to tour the city with Tiffany as your guide!
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It's that time of year again!
Every turn of the year, we look back at the resolutions we set for the previous year and discuss whether or not we accomplished them, or at least got close. This is often a very cringe-worthy exercise.
Undaunted by any failures, we also set resolutions for the coming year.
Don't miss this fun annual tradition!
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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 receive awesome prizes in return for your generosity! Visit our Patreon site to find out more.
TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.
START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up.
SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the podcast to make sure you never miss an episode. Click here to find us on a variety of podcast apps.
WRITE A REVIEW: Leave us a rating and a written review on iTunes so more listeners can find us.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. You can also connect to us through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Tag #thebittersweetlife with your expat story for a chance to be featured!
NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET
BOOK: Want to read Tiffany's book, Midnight in the Piazza? Learn more here or order on Amazon.
TOUR ROME: If you're traveling to Rome, don't miss the chance to tour the city with Tiffany as your guide!
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How much has Italian Christmas changed over the years?
Turns out, even in the last ten years, since we began this show, the way Italians celebrate Christmas has evolved. We listen back to one of our very first episodes, when we discussed Katy's first (and only) Christmas in Italy back in 2013. How did it feel different to her from Christmas in the States, and what makes an expat Christmas different from one in your home country?
Listening back, Tiffany observes how different Christmas in Italy feels only ten years later.
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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 receive awesome prizes in return for your generosity! Visit our Patreon site to find out more.
TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.
START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up.
SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the podcast to make sure you never miss an episode. Click here to find us on a variety of podcast apps.
WRITE A REVIEW: Leave us a rating and a written review on iTunes so more listeners can find us.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. You can also connect to us through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Tag #thebittersweetlife with your expat story for a chance to be featured!
NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET
BOOK: Want to read Tiffany's book, Midnight in the Piazza? Learn more here or order on Amazon.
TOUR ROME: If you're traveling to Rome, don't miss the chance to tour the city with Tiffany as your guide!
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How many of us dream of living in a villa in the Umbrian countryside... but how many of us would quit our jobs and move abroad (not to mention do all the work) to actually make it happen?
Today we are joined by Kaila Merrill, native Vermonter and now owner of gorgeous Poggio Belvedere, a 17th-century farmhouse deep in the Umbrian countryside that she and her husband Ludovico have lovingly renovated from the ruin it had been reduced to. It's now a luxury boutique hotel and villa-for-hire.
Kaila talks about the imagination it took to be able to visualize what their new home could become, and the endless Italian bureaucracy that had to be waded through to make it happen.
She also shares the struggles of having a child abroad and learning how to be a mother at the very same time she was opening her boutique hotel and learning to be a business owner. Another challenge? Creating community and getting social interaction when you live in the middle of nowhere—no matter how gorgeous the surroundings are, you still need human connection.
Don't miss our first intevriew with Kaila, when she was just emerging from the renovation process and at the same time going through the grief of losing her mother: Episode 523 Legacy and Loss (with Kaila Merrill)
Find out more about Poggio Belvedere (or book your stay!) here.
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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 receive awesome prizes in return for your generosity! Visit our Patreon site to find out more.
TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.
START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up.
SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the podcast to make sure you never miss an episode. Click here to find us on a variety of podcast apps.
WRITE A REVIEW: Leave us a rating and a written review on iTunes so more listeners can find us.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. You can also connect to us through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Tag #thebittersweetlife with your expat story for a chance to be featured!
NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET
BOOK: Want to read Tiffany's book, Midnight in the Piazza? Learn more here or order on Amazon.
TOUR ROME: If you're traveling to Rome, don't miss the chance to tour the city with Tiffany as your guide!
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Last year we met Brie Ripley, a young newly married Seattlite who had moved to Rome for a job without ever having visited the city, or even the country.
On this episode, we catch up with Brie and her husband 10 months later to see how they are adjusting to life in Rome and life as expats, now that the expat honeymoon phase is over and they are faced with the real challenges of living abroad.
We talk about their struggles to learn the language, their attempts to create a community, and how hard it can be to live in a foreign country when you don't particularly embrace trying new things.
They both weigh in on what it feels like to be the so-called "trailing spouse" vs. the (for lack of a better term) "leading spouse," how living in a foreign country has changed how they interact as a couple, and whether either of them would have moved to Rome if they had been single at the time (spoiler: their answers are very different from each other!)
Find Part One of this interview here: Episode 527 Moving to Rome—Sight Unseen (with Brie Ripley).
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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 receive awesome prizes in return for your generosity! Visit our Patreon site to find out more.
TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.
START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up.
SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the podcast to make sure you never miss an episode. Click here to find us on a variety of podcast apps.
WRITE A REVIEW: Leave us a rating and a written review on iTunes so more listeners can find us.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. You can also connect to us through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Tag #thebittersweetlife with your expat story for a chance to be featured!
NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET
BOOK: Want to read Tiffany's book, Midnight in the Piazza? Learn more here or order on Amazon.
TOUR ROME: If you're traveling to Rome, don't miss the chance to tour the city with Tiffany as your guide!
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“You fall in love with Rome very slowly, a little at a time—but for all your life.”
Nikolaj Gogol sums up so perfectly what many people experience when viisting Rome.
The city can be so overwhelming, so daunting, that many people aren't able to fully experience it on their first visit, or even their first few visits. And yet, it's a city that has captivated and fascinated people—perhaps beyond any other city—for centuries if not millennia, and it continues to do so to this day.
So what is it about Rome? What is it that pulls people here, over and over and over? What is it that brings people back year after year?
Tiffany and Katy try to put their finger on why so many people fall helplessly in love with Rome (either little by little or suddenly), and why one of Rome's most impressive qualities is its resilence. It's a city that has been burned, flooded, sacked, and destroyed countless times. Yet like a phoenix, it emerges from the ashes somehow better than it was before.
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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 receive awesome prizes in return for your generosity! Visit our Patreon site to find out more.
TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.
START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up.
SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the podcast to make sure you never miss an episode. Click here to find us on a variety of podcast apps.
WRITE A REVIEW: Leave us a rating and a written review on iTunes so more listeners can find us.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. You can also connect to us through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Tag #thebittersweetlife with your expat story for a chance to be featured!
NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET
BOOK: Want to read Tiffany's book, Midnight in the Piazza? Learn more here or order on Amazon.
TOUR ROME: If you're traveling to Rome, don't miss the chance to tour the city with Tiffany as your guide!
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Join us for this LIVE EPISODE taped in Rome with the listeners who participated in our 2024 Bittersweet Life Rome Trip!
On this episode, we chat about what happens when places that we have lived or traveled to extensively change drastically over the years—particularly if we are not there to witness those changes slowly occurring. When we return, it can feel like the ghosts of those missing people and places are all around us. The city has moved on... but we still miss what has disappeared.
Hear from our Rome guests about these "ghosts" that exist in their towns and favorite places.
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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 receive awesome prizes in return for your generosity! Visit our Patreon site to find out more.
TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.
START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up.
SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the podcast to make sure you never miss an episode. Click here to find us on a variety of podcast apps.
WRITE A REVIEW: Leave us a rating and a written review on iTunes so more listeners can find us.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. You can also connect to us through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Tag #thebittersweetlife with your expat story for a chance to be featured!
NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET
BOOK: Want to read Tiffany's book, Midnight in the Piazza? Learn more here or order on Amazon.
TOUR ROME: If you're traveling to Rome, don't miss the chance to tour the city with Tiffany as your guide!
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Can you believe that this little indie show premiered way back in March of 2014??
That's an entire decade of The Bittersweet Life! Have you been with us from the very start? Or have you joined us late but caught up on all the episodes over the years? Or perhaps those first few seasons are a mystery that you've never tapped?
Either way we're going to have fun on this episode. In honor of 10 (and a half) years of this show (and actually 11 since the taping of this pilot episode in Katy's Trastevere apartment) we listen all the way back to Episode Number One, and comment on it in real time.
How relevant is that discussion? What was it like for Tiffany, with zero audio background, to tape her first podcast episode? How much has the show changed and evolved over the decade?
We hope you'll enjoy listening back as much as we did.
And if you haven't heard those early seasons, why not dig into our archives? There are some real gems back in our early era.
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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 receive awesome prizes in return for your generosity! Visit our Patreon site to find out more.
TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.
START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up.
SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the podcast to make sure you never miss an episode. Click here to find us on a variety of podcast apps.
WRITE A REVIEW: Leave us a rating and a written review on iTunes so more listeners can find us.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. You can also connect to us through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Tag #thebittersweetlife with your expat story for a chance to be featured!
NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET
BOOK: Want to read Tiffany's book, Midnight in the Piazza? Learn more here or order on Amazon.
TOUR ROME: If you're traveling to Rome, don't miss the chance to tour the city with Tiffany as your guide!
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What are some of the most surprising things that have ever happened to you—in a good or a bad way? What are life's curve balls that you truly didn't see coming?
That's the subject of this week's bonus epiosode. Here's a little peek behind the paywall.
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 importantly, you'll be doing your part to help keep this show alive—an independent podcast with no corporate support. (You'll also help keep it virtually ad-free!)
Check our our Patreon page for all the details, and consider joining us at the $5 level or above. We are eternally grateful!
-------------------------------------
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 receive awesome prizes in return for your generosity! Visit our Patreon site to find out more.
TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.
START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up.
SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the podcast to make sure you never miss an episode. Click here to find us on a variety of podcast apps.
WRITE A REVIEW: Leave us a rating and a written review on iTunes so more listeners can find us.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. You can also connect to us through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Tag #thebittersweetlife with your expat story for a chance to be featured!
NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET
BOOK: Want to read Tiffany's book, Midnight in the Piazza? Learn more here or order on Amazon.
TOUR ROME: If you're traveling to Rome, don't miss the chance to tour the city with Tiffany as your guide!
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Come to Rome with us! (Virtually or IN PERSON!)
This week we're thrilled to share the episode in which we kick off our 2024 Bittersweet Life Roman Adventure!
We had an absolute blast sharing "our Rome" with 11 of our amazing listeners and we can't wait to do it again next year.
Maybe in 2025 you will join us! (Get in touch to find out how!)
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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 receive awesome prizes in return for your generosity! Visit our Patreon site to find out more.
TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.
START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up.
SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the podcast to make sure you never miss an episode. Click here to find us on a variety of podcast apps.
WRITE A REVIEW: Leave us a rating and a written review on iTunes so more listeners can find us.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. You can also connect to us through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Tag #thebittersweetlife with your expat story for a chance to be featured!
NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET
BOOK: Want to read Tiffany's book, Midnight in the Piazza? Learn more here or order on Amazon.
TOUR ROME: If you're traveling to Rome, don't miss the chance to tour the city with Tiffany as your guide!
- Se mer
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