PODCAST · society
The Bittersweet Life
by Expat, Repat, Travel, Rome, Seattle, Books, Art, Italy, Wonder
Life doesn't have a script. At least, it doesn't have to. Hosts Katy Sewall and Tiffany Parks explore the challenges and joys of moving abroad and moving home. Whether you're living overseas, or not — or not yet — join us weekly for unadulterated conversation. Get to know Rome. Laugh at our embarrassments and insights. Most of all, imagine the possibilities for your own life (and meet some famous authors along the way).
Episodes
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Episode 650: How a Place Changes You, Part 2
This week, we continue our conversation from last week's episode: Can living in a foreign country or even a different city from where you grew up dramatically change your life and even your personality? Last week we discussed the concrete life outcomes (like who you marry, what job you do, if you...
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The BIttersweet Past: Grave Robbing Artists (with Jennifer Dasal)
It's a much-told legend that Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci used to rob graves in order to dissect bodies in secret so they could achieve anatomical accuracy in their art. But is it actually true? On this mini-episode from our archives, we are joined by curator Jennifer Dasal of the Art…
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Episode 649: How a Place Changes You, Part 1
Can living in a foreign country or even a different city from where you grew up dramatically change your life and even your personality? A letter from a listener sparked this fascinating topic. Katy and Tiffany muse on how their lives would be different if Tiffany hadn't moved to Rome and Katy...
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The Bittersweet Past: Have You Ever Heard a Rat Laugh?
It's finally Halloween season, and to assuage the fears of anyone who is afraid of rats (like Tiffany!) Katy shares a fascinating and little-known recording of rat laughter (yes, you read that right) on this episode from our archives. On this mini-episode from years past, she also shares a…
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Episode 648: Misperceiving Italy
A cringy AI-generated ad that touts a gimmicky protein pasta as "just like in Italy!" makes us wonder: what are the worst misperceptions around Italian culture, food, and lifestyle? We muse on how easy it is to fall prey to these misconceptions and end up having an inauthentic experience while in...
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The Bittersweet Past: The Joy of Anticipating Travel
Some psychologists say that anticipation of a desired event can often bring more happiness than experiencing the event itself. And if that's the case, can we conclude that planning a trip is even more fun that actually taking the trip? In this episode from our archives, we take inspiration from a...
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Episode 647: How to Vote from Abroad in US Elections
The US mid-term elections are just around the corner, and it's important to know that Americans living or studying abroad can vote from whereever they happen to be! (And it's actually not that complicated to do!) This week Tiffany took part in a voter registration drive for American students at a...
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The Bittersweet Past: A Walk through Trastevere
On this episode from way way back in the early archives of the show, Tiffany and Katy take listeners on a walking tour of their favorite Roman neighborhood, Trastevere. ***The Bittersweet Life podcast has been on the air for an impressive 10+ years! In order to help newer listeners discover some…
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Episode 646: Celebrating Life while You're Alive (with Katy's sisters)
Today we're joined by Katy's sisters, Dana and Sara, to chat about what's on the horizon for Dana, considering her diagnosis of terminal brain cancer last year. As always, Dana shares inspiring words of hope and fortitude, proving that a terminal cancer diagnosis doesn't necessarily mean an…
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The Bittersweet Past: Who Is Rome for?
In cities like Rome, tourists are part of the city's identity, its reality, its way of life. When they go away—and don't come back—the city will inevitably change and adapt. Will the countless AirBNBs turn back into regular rentals, and will that in turn cause locals to move back to the historic...
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Episode 645: Dogs vs. Cats
It's a debate as old as time, and today Katy and Tiffany are tackling it: Which are better: dogs or cats? And perhaps more importantly, which make better pets? Is the loving loyalty of a dog a more important trait in a pet than the independent, low-maintenance lifestyle of a cat? And crucially:...
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The Bittersweet Past: Why Is the Media Obsessed with Italy? (with Coral Sisk)
Are you tired of watching every one you know go to Italy? Florence-based food blogger and culinary tour guide Coral Sisk was, and she penned a viral complaint about it for the popular online foodie publication Eater, with the specific complaint that the media turns too much of its focus on...
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Episode 644: Listeners Ask: Do You Journal?
Do you write in a journal? If you don't know, have you ever done so in the past? Have you ever used a journal as a means of self-therapy? These and other similar questions come to us in a two recent email from two long-time listeners, and we decided to devote an entire episode to this interesting...
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The Bittersweet Past: I Was Here
On a past Bittersweet Moment, Tiffany remembered accidently smearing a bit of lipstick on the doorframe of one of the buildings she lived in her first months in Rome, and how that red streak is still there, 18 years later. And how, somehow, every time she sees it, it reminds her of her earliest...
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Episode 643: Defending the City You Love
When a stranger online started badmouthing Rome, Tiffany's reaction was visceral. It was almost as if someone had insulted her mother. On this week's new episode, Tiffany and Katy chat about what it means to love a city so much that you are sometimes blinded to its faults. They also touch on why,...
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The Bittersweet Past: Seeking Wonder (with Andrea Scher)
What is wonder? And how does it affect your life? Perhaps most importantly, what can we do to harness it? In this episode from our archives, 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...
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Episode 642: Are Tiffany and Katy Grown-ups?
Last week we aired a fascinating and inspiring conversation with Julian Shapiro-Barnum about his new book How to Grow up without Becoming a Grown-up and his strategies for resisting the pull of what can often end up being a constrictive and joyless adulthood. Today, Tiffany and Katy continue the...
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The Bittersweet Past: The Sounds You Love
In this episode from our archives, we ask our listeners: 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...
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Episode 641: How to Grow Up without Becoming a Grown-Up (w/Julian Shapiro-Barnum)
What can kids teach us about how to live? This is a topic close to the heart of today's guest, Julian Shapiro-Barnum. An actor and comedian, Julian is perhaps most known for his web series Recess Therapy, in which he interviews children playing outside in New York City. He joins us this week to...
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The Bittersweet Past: Does Language Shape Your Thinking?
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 on this episode from our...
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Episode 640: Planning for the End (with Katy's sisters)
What does it feel like to plan for the end of your life when your only in your mid-50s? Could you plan your own funeral/celebration of life? What about going through your childhood mementos to decide what your children would actually want, and what you need to ruthlessly trash. These are all…
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The Bittersweet Past: Answering Listener Questions
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.…
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Episode 639: How Constraints Make Us Better (with David Epstein)
Today we sit down with David Epstein, environmental scientist, investigative journalist, and author of the new book, Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better. He joins us for a special interview to discuss a modern paradox that is plaguing today's society: how seemingly infinite choices and...
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The Bittersweet Past: Contronyms—Do They Mean what You Think They Mean?
We all know what synonyms are, and probably antonyms too. But have you ever heard of contronyms? In this episode from our archives, 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...
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Episode 638: Reverse Culture Shock: New York Edition
When you've lived abroad for as long as Tiffany has (22 years and counting), every trip back to your country of origins brings with it a hefty dose of reverse culture shock. But on her most recent trip to the US, Tiffany, along with her husband and son, spent some time in New York City, for the...
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The Bittersweet Past: The Listening Planet (with Martyn Stewart)
What does it take to capture the sounds of the world's rich and diverse wildlife? On this extraordinary interview from our archives, we are joined by sound and nature recordist Martyn Stewart. Stewart has one of the largest collections of natural sounds in the world, having recorded more than...
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Episode 637: A Musical Immigration Story (with Felipe Salles)
As hard as it is to succeed and thrive as a professional jazz musician, how much more challenging is it when the journey leads you to a new country—with new laws, new social customs, and a system that creates roadblocks nearly every step of the way? Today we sit down with jazz saxophonist and…
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The Bittersweet Past: The Friend, the Bread, and the Knife
When you're a longtime expat, do your friends back home move on? We discuss on this episode from our archives. Expats often make friends with other expats in their adopted country. That can be great, but it also means that it's very likely that your new friends will, sooner or later, move away…
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Episode 636: How to Live Abroad Part-time (with Laurel Attanasio)
What happens when you dream of living by the sea in Italy but you are deeply connected to your home town and community? If you are like this week's guest, Laurel Attanasio, you compromise: buy your dream house on the Calabrian coast and live there for just part of the year. Best of both worlds…
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The Bittersweet Past: Resilience, Curisotiy, and a Very Important Pig (with Robert Fulghum)
Robert Fulghum is the author of 21 books and a writer whose career that has spanned multiple decades. On this episode from our archives, we share a deep and intimate conversation with him, asking questions like: how do you stay curious about the world around you? Katy's also explores Fulghum's...
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Episode 635 Dana's Koalas: An Update on Katy's Sister
In an episode that is worth sharing with others in your life, Katy's sister Dana joins us to give an update on her health, dealing with a glioblastoma brain cancer, as well as an amazing device that she has created to keep her mind focused on things that offer consolation rather than desolation....
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Bittersweet Past: Solo Travel—Is It for You?
Traveling all alone... does sound like a nightmare or a fantasy? 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…
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Bittersweet Moment #246: Bittersweet Endings (with Aurelio)
On Monday's new episode, we discuss the bittersweet feeling that so often comes with endings and new beginnings. Excitement tinged with nostalgia and a sense of what will be missed. What brought up these thoughts? Aurelio recently finishing elementary school and all the emotions that that brought...
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Episode 634: Beginnings and Endings (Elementary School Edition)
It's happened: Tiffany's son Aurelio has "graduated" from elementary school and is on his way to big-kid land. How is his mom handling it? And why is it that endings, no matter what they are, tend to be so bittersweet? ------------------------------------- COME TO ROME WITH US: Our 4th annual...
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The Bittersweet Past: Objects to Love, Objects to Loathe [LIVE EPISODE]
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...
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Bittersweet Peek: A Notable Anniversary
Tiffany and her husband Claudio celebrated a (relatively) big anniversary last month. On this bonus episode available exclusively to our Patreon supporters, Tiffany talks about what they did to mark the day, and how that connects with our big Rome trip coming up in November! This is just a sneak...
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Episode 633: The Rise of Traveling Sheep
Lately it seems that people go on vacation just for the pleasure of standing in line. What's going on? We blame social media and viral influencers who would have many uninformed tourists believe that there's only ONE place to get the "best" espresso, the "best" pizza, the "best" tiramisù, and…
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The Bittersweet Past: Black Cake (with Charmaine Wilkerson)
Formerly close but now estranged siblings, two girls with a passion for swimming in the sea, a death that reveals long hidden secrets, a voice message from beyond the grave, and a tradtional Caribbean cake that ties it all together. These are the ingredients for Black Cake, the bestselling new...
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Episode 632 (Part 2): Can what You Like in Seattle Inform what You Like in Rome?
Today we bring you Part 2 of Monday's Episode 632 in which we are inspired by a recent article, the Seattle Times to predict what Seattleites would enjoy in Rome based on what they like to do in Seattle. Listen in to get ideas and tips for what to see and do on your trip to Rome (whether you're...
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Episode 632: Can what You Like in Seattle Inform what You Like in Rome? (Part 1)
In a recent article, the Seattle Times attempts to predict what Seattleites would enjoy in Rome based on what they like to do in Seattle. But, frankly, as Roman Seattleites ourselves, we think we can do a better job with this topic. Listen in to get ideas and tips for what to see and do on your...
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The Bittersweet Past: Which Roman Neighborhood Should You Live in?
Tiffany gives you the low-down on Rome's neighborhoods, particularly from the expat perspective. Which neighborhoods are the prettiest? Where are they located? How high are the living expenses there and what kind of expat (typically) lives there? Also—what's the most important landmark in each...
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Bittersweet Peek: Yearning to Return to the Analog World
Do you ever wish you could scrap all this new technology and return to the analog world? When you actually owned your own films and music? When you didn't have to have a subscription to use your own printer? When you didn't have AI constantly trying to predict what you're trying to do? From…
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Episode 631: When Moving Abroad Equals Too Many Visitors
Picture it: you dreamed of moving abroad for years, and you've finally done it! You are settling into your new country, and just starting to get the swing of things, with exciting travel plans with your partner on the horizon. But what happens when your friends back home start to come visit...…
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The Bittersweet Past: Wild Game (with Adrienne Brodeur)
Can you keep a secret? Author Adrienne Brodeur was asked to keep an explosive secret at just fourteen years old when her mother confided in her about her extramarital affair. From that moment on, Adrienne's life changed; her innocent childhood was over, and her new life of secrets, lies, and…
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Bittersweet Moment #245: The Best Travel Moments Are not on a Check-list
The most fulfilling travel cannot be found on any check-list. A meaningful trip can never be summed up by list of "top ten" things to see or do. And no influencer has the secrets to make the perfect trip. This is your official invitation to trash the travel check-lists and let the place you are...
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Episode 630: Is Manifesting Really a Thing? Katy and Tiffany Discuss.
There's lots of buzz out there lately about manifesting, and how if we can somehow harness this practice, we can effortlessly make all of our desires a reality. But does it really work? And perhaps more importantly—what really goes into manifesting? How much of it is simply the effort and…
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The Bittersweet Past: The Lost Art of Punctuality
Is it important to be on time? What does it say about you if you are often late? What does it say about you if it really bothers you when others are late? On this episode from our archives, we delve into the world of punctuality, and all of the expectations and resentments that can come with it…
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Bittersweet Peek: Did the Dog Destroy the House (and other Updates)
On this week's bonus episode, we update our Patreon supporters on a bunch of personal stories. How is the new Roman puppy working out? What's happening with Tiffany's piano-fueled feud with her upstairs neighbor? And does Katy's book have a release date yet? This is just a sneak peek of a much...
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Episode 629: The Great Manifestation Debate (with Felix Lee Lerma)
Psychic mediums believe in a lot of things that can't be seen or touched, but rather only sensed, so it makes sense that they would be on board when it comes to the idea of manifestation. But Katy is a skeptic at the school of manifestation, so she sits down with direct-voice psychic medium Felix...
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The Bittersweet Past: The Five Victims of Jack the Ripper (with Hallie Rubenhold)
Since Victorian times, people have been obsessed with Jack the Ripper. There are endless volumes full of history about him and the gory deaths of his five victims. What's missing is information about the lives of the women he killed—until now. In this episode from our archives, we sit down with...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Life doesn't have a script. At least, it doesn't have to. Hosts Katy Sewall and Tiffany Parks explore the challenges and joys of moving abroad and moving home. Whether you're living overseas, or not — or not yet — join us weekly for unadulterated conversation. Get to know Rome. Laugh at our embarrassments and insights. Most of all, imagine the possibilities for your own life (and meet some famous authors along the way).
HOSTED BY
Expat, Repat, Travel, Rome, Seattle, Books, Art, Italy, Wonder
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Bittersweet Life have?
The Bittersweet Life currently has 1000 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Bittersweet Life about?
Life doesn't have a script. At least, it doesn't have to. Hosts Katy Sewall and Tiffany Parks explore the challenges and joys of moving abroad and moving home. Whether you're living overseas, or not — or not yet — join us weekly for unadulterated conversation. Get to know Rome. Laugh at our...
How often does The Bittersweet Life release new episodes?
The Bittersweet Life releases new episodes frequently with a large back catalog of 1000 episodes. Check the episode list for recent publication dates.
Where can I listen to The Bittersweet Life?
You can listen to The Bittersweet Life on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Bittersweet Life?
The Bittersweet Life is created and hosted by Expat, Repat, Travel, Rome, Seattle, Books, Art, Italy, Wonder.
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