The Bittersweet Life
Episodes
Episode 623: Taxes, Taxes, Taxes!
06 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Taxes are enough of a nightmare when you live in your home country. But what happens when you move abroad? Did you know that the United States is one ...
The Bittersweet Past: Is It Hard Work or Luck?
03 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode from our archives, we explore the topic of hard work vs. luck, when it comes to a person's success. You did it! You've landed that ama...
Bittersweet Peek: Old Movies Made New Again
01 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Last week, Tiffany shared two of her favorite childhood movies with her 10-year-old son, and it was almost like stepping back into the past (particula...
Episode 622: When Beautiful Plans Become a Misery
30 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
On this new episode, Tiffany regales us with the beautiful plans she made for a fun weekend that ended up going disastrously awry. Is part of growing ...
The Bittersweet Past: Tales of a Travel Writing Legend (with Paul Theroux)
27 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode from our archives, we are joined by legendary travel writer Paul Theroux for a candid, backstage interview delving into his five decad...
Bittersweet Moment: What should We Do with Tangible Memories?
25 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
On this out-of-the-ordinary mini-episode, Katy digs into some old schoolwork from her childhood. That leads to the question: what should we do with ta...
Episode 621: When Shared Living is Great
23 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
After last week's horror story from Tiffany about her out-and-out war with her upstairs neighbors over her piano playing, we decided to follow up with...
The Bittersweet Past: How to Cook like an Italian (with Francesca Montillo)
20 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this two-part episode from our archives, Italian expat and cooking expert, Francesca Montillo, joins us for an in-depth interview which inspires us...
Bittersweet Peek: Random Questions Answered (with special guest Dana Zahler)
18 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This special bonus episode was SUCH fun to create. We hope you laugh along with us as we answer some ridiculous and interesting questions. This is jus...
Episode 620: A Neighborly Feud in Rome
16 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when you suddenly develop a passion for playing the piano, and your upstairs neighbors can't stand to hear you playing and take every op...
The Bittersweet Past: When in Doubt, Ask a Psychic Medium
13 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode from our archives, Katy meets up with one of The Bittersweet Life's longtime listeners, San Francisco resident Lynn Fortunato. Lynn is...
Bittersweet Moment #240: Tips for New Expats
10 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
You know what no one tells you about moving abroad? The first year is hard... excruciatingly hard. Want to make it easier? Follow Tiffany's 7 tips ...
Episode 619: Parasite (with Dana Zahler)
09 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever gotten sick while traveling? Really sick? Today's special guest, Katy's sister Dana, has and on this possibly TMI episode, she joins K...
Bittersweet Past: The Beauty of No (with Sheri Salata and Nancy Hala)
06 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this interview from our archives, the executive producer of the Oprah Winfrey Show, Sheri Salata and her cohost Nancy Hala on the popular podcast,...
Bittersweet Peek: Curmudgeon Katy
04 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Is Katy becoming a curmudgeon? Listen to this recent event, and weigh in! This is just a sneak peek of a much longer bonus episode that drops today, a...
Episode 618: Which Way Do Your Antennae Turn?
02 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We all notice some things over other things. What determines what we notice? Is it our background? Our innate personality? Our experiences? Our pref...
The Bittersweet Past: Are You Curious about Art? (with Jennifer Dasal)
27 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Is the Mona Lisa in the Louvre fake? Was impressionist painter Claude Monet a radical? And was Caravaggio—our show's muse—murdered? Art history ho...
Bittersweet Moment #239: Explore the Pantheon with Tiffany
25 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Don't stumble around one of the most important ancient sites in the world without learning about its incredible history, structure, art, design, and c...
Episode 617: Returning Home to a Different Country (with Brie Ripley)
23 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Lately it seems like lots of Americans are moving abroad. But, believe it or not, some American expats are moving back to the States. Today we're join...
The Bittersweet Past: Before and After Baby
20 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode from our archives, we give all our listeners a peek into some of the extra bonus content that our Patreon donors are receiving. Every ...
Bittersweet Peek: The Best Break-up
18 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Most break-ups are painful, but every now and then, they can be fun. Or even funny! Have you had a funny break-up? Tune in to hear ours. This is just ...
Episode 616: Mardi Gras, Italian Graduation, and Pulcinella
16 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
February 17th is a big day in Tiffany's life this year... from Martedi Grasso with Aurelio (aka Pulcinella) to her Italian sister-in-law's Master's gr...
The Bittersweet Past: From Heartbreak to Purpose (with Asia Dawn SImonelli)
13 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What do you do when your partner of almost a decade finally proposes, and after a just few short months of marriage, tells you he thinks you made a mi...
Bittersweet Moment #238: Hidden Frescoes, Medieval Mosaics, and Underground Ruins
11 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
On this mini-episode, we talk about one of the most over-looked and underappreciated sites in the entire city. It has it all: glorious medieval mosaic...
Episode 615: The Best Kind of Love (with Katy's sisters)
09 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
On the occassion of Valentine's Day, The Bittersweet Life looks at the many different kinds of love, from family love to romantic love to the love you...
The Bittersweet Past: All Things Cute and Cuddly
06 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
"All things cute and cuddly" was the surprising topic requested by listener Sara, who supports us at the $50 level on Patreon. Choosing the topic of a...
Bittersweet Peek: The Cenci Gut Punch
04 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Romans love the story of the young Renaissance noblewoman Beatrice Cenci. It's an absolutely gruesome and horrific story (for all you true crime fans)...
Episode 614: When You Move Abroad and the Locals Don't Like You (with Beth Ann Fennely)
02 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Beth Ann Fennelly is the author of the new book The Irish Goodbye, a collection of micro-memoirs. She was also Poet Laureate of Mississippi from 2016 ...
The Bittersweet Past: The Art of Documenting Travel (with Riley Morton)
30 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this interview from our archives, we sit down with Riley Morton, a freelance documentary producer and cinematographer who kicked off his career two...
Bittersweet Moment #237: Celebrating Carnival in Rome
28 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
It's Carnival time here in Rome, and before you say—why don't you go celebrate in Venice?—you should know that Carnevale originated in Rome. In th...
Episode 613: How to Live to Be 107
26 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
On today's poignant episode, Katy says goodbye to her Grammy Jean, who lived to be a staggering 107 years old. Not only that, she was active, healthy,...
The Bittersweet Past: The Life of an International War Correspondent (with Michael Maren)
23 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
To continue our January archival series on ADVENTURE, today we revisit an interview with author Michael Maren. As a war correspondent, he covered fi...
Bittersweet Peek: Sisters and Aging (with the Sewall Sisters)
21 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The Sewall Sisters (Sara, Dana, and host Katy) sit down to discuss aging: what they're worried about, what has already happened, and how a terminal il...
Episode 612: Sisterfest on the High Seas (with Katy's sisters Sara and Dana)
19 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
It's January and that means Katy and her sisters are off on Sisterfest! Katy and her two older sisters Sara and Dana have been taking an annual trip t...
The Bittersweet Past: Around the World in Twelve Months (with Cyndie Burkhardt)
16 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Photographer and visual storyteller Cyndie Burkhardt was living in New York City feeling unsatisfied with her life. Rather than continue to struggle, ...
Bittersweet Moment #236: Snow in Rome
14 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The temps are dropping in Rome and all Roman children (and several adults as well!) are praying nightly for that Roman rarity: snow! Will it happen ...
Episode 611: Creating a Literary Life in Florence (with Lauren Mouat)
12 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
When a writer moves abroad, how do they find a literary community in their new country, especially when that country speaks (and reads) in a different...
The Bittersweet Past: The Wild Ride of the Mongolian Rally (with Scott Gurian)
09 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The Mongol Rally is a one-of-kind intercontinental car race, the "greatest motoring adventure on the planet" according to the organizers. Participants...
Bittersweet Peek: A ChatGPT Party
07 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
To celebrate the New Year, we ask ChatGPT to create a party for us! Is A.I. a good party planner? Or do the humans do it better? Listen in and send us...
Episode 610: Fountains Aren't Free Anymore
05 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Have you heard the news? The City of Rome will now be charging a 2 Euro fee to tourists who want to access the Trevi Fountain. Want to throw your coin...
The Bittersweet Past: Walking the Camino de Santiago (with Aarin Wright)
02 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This January, our archive episodes—presented every Friday—will cover the theme of ADVENTURE! Because we could all use a little more adventure in o...
Episode 609: New Year, New Resolutions
29 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's that time of year—New Year's Resolution time! If you're a longtime listener you know that at every turn of the year, Katy and Tiffany revisit t...
ThebBittersweet Past: Holiday Magic
26 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Has Christmas lost its magic now that you're all grown up? In this episode from our archives, Katy and Tiffany brainstorm ways to bring that holiday m...
Bittersweet Moment #235: White Christmas: The History of a Classic
24 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You know it. You love it. You hear it every Christmas, and if you're like us, you never get sick of the classic holiday song, White Christmas. But did...
Episode 608: How Christmas Looked in 2017
22 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Christmas traditions can be grounding when you're living in a brand-new place. Tiffany and Katy talk about the joys and challenges of being untethered...
The Bittersweet Past: Finding Your Joyous Life (with/Sarah McColl)
19 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Do I deserve to live a bigger life? Sarah McColl, author of the memoir Joy Enough, joins us to talk about the beautiful life she discovered while livi...
Bittersweet Peek: There's No Place like Work for the Holidays
17 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The holidays aren't all fun and games. Sometimes you have to go to work. But is there any sort of magic to work this time of year? We discuss this top...
Episode 607: Pageantry and Anticipation
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Christmas season starts earlier and earlier every year. Pretty soon we'll be setting up our tree before Halloween! What do you think about this?...
The Bittersweet Past: The Illusion of Choice (with Tom Vanderbilt)
12 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why do you like what you like? Journalist Tom Vanderbilt joins us to explore how our likes and dislikes are formed. His new book is You May Also Like:...
Bittersweet Moment #234: A Surprisingly Perfect Time to Visit Rome
10 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What's the best time of year to visit Rome? That's a truly impossible question to answer, but Tiffany has an ideal time that might surprise you. Liste...
Episode 606: The Anxiety of the Unexpected
08 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A sudden change of plans, an unexpected surgery—these are the kinds of things that can throw your world into temporary disarray, and often cause no ...
The Bittersweet Past: Honing Your Visual Intelligence (with Amy Herman)
05 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Can studying fine art keep you safe? According to today's guest Amy Herman it can. Lawyer and art historian, Herman uses works of art to "sharpen ob...
Bittersweet Peek: A Promise—Kept or Broken? (You Decide)
03 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Tiffany made a big promise last month about her video watching habit. Here's an update on what's happened since that episode aired. This is just a sne...
Episode 605: An Update on Katy's Sister Dana
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today we catch up with Katy's sister Dana to hear the latest on her battle with aggressive brain cancer. If you want to hear more of Dana's story an...
The Bittersweet Past: The Inevitability of Expat Guilt (with Jessica Scott-Reid)
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Among the plethora of emotions that plague expats, one of them is guilt. What happens when you know you should go home, but don't? Guest Jessica Sco...
Episode 604: How to Go Deeper when Traveling
24 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For some travelers, visiting the sites just isn't enough. One of our listeners wrote to express her longing to go deeper when traveling, far beyond th...
The Bittersweet Past: When Life Is Inspired by Art
21 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Could watching a movie inspire you to move abroad? Could reading a book launch a lifetime of travel? Movies and books can have a big influence on pers...
Bittersweet Peek: An Armoire for your Smartphone
19 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Tiffany's son Aurelio will soon be in middle school, and the exact age that Katy and Tiffany were when they first met. And, wow, how things have chang...
Episode 603: The Benefits of Missing the Nuance
17 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When you're visiting a foreign country, you miss a lot. From conversations around you on the street to advertisements on billboards or your favorite p...
Bittersweet Past: Armchair Travel (with Nancy Pearl)
14 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Don't have the cash or the time off to travel right now? Not to worry! Reading can take you anywhere. On this episode from our archives, we recommen...
Bittersweet Moment #233: The Collapse of Torre dei Conti
12 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Last week, a thousand-year-old medieval tower in Rome partially collapsed. This disaster for history and Rome's patrimony—which could have been much...
Episode 602: It Doesn't Have to Be this Way
10 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When you spend a good deal of time in a foreign country, going back home can often be eye-opening. Why do we do it this way? Can be a suddenly common ...
The Bittersweet Past: Negotiating Italy's Endless Bureaucracy
07 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Every country has its own bureaucracy... but some countries are worse than others. Part of living in a new country is learning the hoops you need to j...
Bittersweet Peek: A Promise (on Day One)
05 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Tiffany is on "Day One!" of a new undertaking. It is something that ALL OF US should probably be doing. Find out what it is, and answer this question:...
Episode 601: Every Pilgrimage Needs Merch
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As Katy prepares to leave Rome once again, she and Tiffany muse on the 2025 Jubilee or Holy Year that has taken over Rome this year. How does Holy Yea...
The Bittersweet Past: Getting Comfortable with Death (with Caitlyn Doughty)
31 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Mortician Caitlin Doughty—of Ask a Mortitian fame—joins us on this episode from our archive to talk about death practices around the world. Discov...
Bittersweet Moment #232: Claudio's Ghost Story
29 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Mini episode drop! Have you ever seen a ghost? Not just sensed one's presence, but actually seen one with your own eyes? Tiffany's husba...
Episode 600: Reaching Milestones (with our Rome guests)
27 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
So it turns out, 600 episodes is a lot! Katy and Tiffany celebrate the work and dedication it has taken to reach this impressive milestone along with ...
Bittersweet Peek: Enormous News!
22 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On the previous members-only bonus episode, Katy revealed some big news. Dare we say, HUGE news! Well, we're back with an update. And that huge news h...
Bittersweet Interlude
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the wake of our 3rd annual Bittersweet Life Roman Adventure, we're taking a much deserved break to prepare for a new season of the original, entert...
The Bittersweet Past: Conversations with a Lab Girl (with Hope Jahren)
17 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Writer and scientist Hope Jahren, author of the New York Times best-seller Lab Girl, joins us on this episode from our archives to challenge how we ex...
Bittersweet Moment #231: The Passetto of the Borgo: The Papal Escape Route
15 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Another mini-episode, another amazing little-known Roman site that Tiffany explores on our listeners' behalf. Did you know there is an escape route—...
Episode 599: Staying and Going in the International Teaching World (with Sara Gladding)
13 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What's it like to have children in a foreign country, only to uproot your family and move to a whole new country? Today's guest tells us all about it ...
The Bittersweet Past: Wild Animals I Have Known
10 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Travelers and expats often encounter animals. From the humble, common pigeon to a monkey or a great white shark. On this episode from our archives, we...
Bittersweet Peek: Big News!
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Katy has news—big news! And this bonus episode is the first place she's sharing it. This is just a sneak peek of a much longer bonus episode, avail...
Episode 598: Why Are Italians so Loud?
06 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you've ever spent any significant amount of time in Italy or around native Italians, you will soon have discovered: Italians are loud. A recent tri...
The Bitterswseet Past: What's It like to Grow up Abroad?
03 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this fun episode from our archives, we sit down with three American sisters living in Orvieto, Italy. Giulia (age 13), Paloma (age 11), and Viola (...
Bittersweet Moment #230: Exploring Majestic Palazzo Farnese
01 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Palazzo Farnese is one of the most magnificent palaces in Rome—and until recently, one of the most difficult to visit. But that has changed and Tiff...
Episode 597: Think Better, Live More (with Therese Huston)
29 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We all think we know what wil make your brain sharper, faster, and more agile. But what does the neuroscience actually say on the subject? There's no ...
The Bittersweet Past: When a Comedian Moves Abroad (with Marsha De Salvatore)
26 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Comedian Marsha De Salvatore brings humor to a discussion on living abroad with a serious blood disease in this interview from our archives. We also t...
Bittersweet Peek: Tiny Listener Questions
24 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes we get tiny questions from listeners. They are fun topics to talk about but not large enough for an entire episode. On our latest bonus ep...
Episode 596: Running to Somewhere vs Running Away
22 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Our interview last week with brand-new expat Jennie Spohr brought up lots of thoughts and ideas on our part, so we've decided to weigh in together on ...
The Bittersweet Past: Are Expats Running away from Life? (with John Wynn)
19 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A common stereotype is that expats are maladjusted and running away from real life. But is it really true? In this episode from our archives, Katy Sew...
Bittersweet Moment #229: Back to School, Italian Style
17 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After a seeminly endless summer (nearly 3 and a half months!), Aurelio is finally back to school this week! In this informative mini-episode, Tiffany ...
Episode 595: Would You Move Abroad for Political Reasons? (with Jennie Spohr)
15 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There are many reasons a family might choose to move abroad. In the case of Americans, that reason is generally motivated by a desire for adventure, c...
The Bittersweet Past: Why Change is Hard (with John Wynn)
12 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Life is full of major transitions. When Katy moved to Rome in 2013, then back to Seattle less than a year later, the transition was hard to say the le...
Bittersweet Peek: The After Report: Drama at the High School Reunion
10 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Katy recently attended her high school reunion. In this bonus episode—available only to our Patreon supporters—she breaks down all the unexpected...
Episode 594: When in Rome
08 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We've all heard it. We've all said it. But what does "when in Rome" really mean? Katy reveals the somewhat surprising origin of this ubiquitous catc...
Bittersweet Moment #228: The Storm Remade: Hurricane Katrina 20 Years Later
03 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Twenty years ago, on August 29th 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. The Category 5 storm and its aftermath devastated the city, and the conseque...
The Bittersweet Past: In Search of Continuity
01 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When Tiffany's husband Claudio takes a photo with the karate instructor of his youth, Tiffany realizes that by being an expat, it can sometimes feel l...
The Bittersweet Past: I Saw the Sign
25 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever received a sign to do something? Did you listen to it? Do signs even exist? What about bad and good omens? Are they real or a pr...
The Bittersweet Past: Back to Reality
18 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On last week's archive episode, we talked about fantasy, and the benefits and pitfalls of focusing on and working toward your personal fantasies. Bu...
The Bittersweet Past: Sometimes a Fantasy
11 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How much of life is us trying to fulfill the fantasies of our youth? And is there anything inherently wrong with weaving fantasies and attempting to...
The Bittersweet Past: The Infamous Hat Box Episode
04 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It began with a simple question: what's the most impractical thing you have ever traveled with? Little did we know it would turn into one of our favor...
Bittersweet Moment #227: Ferragosto and Italy's Universal August Holidays
30 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why does (seemingly) every single person in Italy go on vacation during the month of August? If you've ever visited Italy in the month of August, you'...
Episode 593: Are Italians Cheaters?
28 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What percentage of Italian men cheat? Is it really 100% like a family friend of Tiffany's smugly insisted when she first moved to Italy? Or is that ...
The BIttersweet Past: The Irresistible Call of Vietnam
25 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Katy's father Dale and sister Sara join us on this episode from our archives to look back on their past family travels to Southeast Asia, specifically...
Bittersweet Peek: The First Pet
23 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's a common security question: What is the name of your first pet? Tiffany and Katy reminisce about the pets that they adopted and loved through...
Episode 592: The Horrors of Childhood
21 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Can you remember the first time you were truly frightened—by a movie, a ghost story, or even a real event that you witnessed? On this episode, Katy ...
[THE BITTERSWEET PAST] Florence, Memories, and A Room with a View
18 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this nostalgic episode from our archives, Tiffany regales Katy with the details of a recent trip to the cradle of the Renaissance, including specif...