The Bittersweet Life

Think you know what "bimbo" means? What about "latte"? Turns out these Italian words are used all wrong by the majority of English speakers.  On Monday's episode , we talked, among other things, about the English words that Italian speakers use wrongly. Today the shoe is on the other foot, and Tiffany explains what these popular Italian words actually mean. ------------------------------------- AD...

A proposed law in Italy would ban the use English (or other foreign) words by public officials and in all government communications and documents, with fines of up to 100,000 euros for offenders. But what happens when a word in English simply doesn't exist in Italian? Or is it so archaic that it is rarely used anymore? And how much time will be wasted going through hundreds of thousands of documen...

One of the trickiest parts of moving abroad (especially if it's for the long haul), is of course: how do I get all my stuff over there? Today we're joined by Josh Sims, the Chief Operating Officer for Sanelo , a global move management company. Josh shares some of his deep industry experience in global relocation and logistics, with his over 20 years in the industry. Josh debunks expat moving myths...

Jess Walter is the author of ten books, including New York Times #1 bestseller Beautiful Ruins , which takes place on the Italian Riviera. The latest is a collection of short stories titled The Angel of Rome . He's spent the last five weeks seeing more of Italy than the average Italian. What are the lessons from the road, and how does exploring Italy from top to bottom alter your perception of tim...

To say Rome is busy this season (and will only get busier as we move into summer) is an understatement. The city is on course to have its busiest tourist season IN HISTORY this year. Yikes! If you love museums and want to see some of Rome's incredible art, but you don't want to be crushed by the crowds, today is your lucky day. We list nearly a dozen amazing, significant, and beautiful museums in...

Last week we mused about those times when life changes in and the blink of an eye... for the worse . We've all been there: you crash your car, trip and break your wrist, or lose your job, and suddenly, daily life is very different. Today, we change gears to discuss those wonderful moments when life changes in an instant... for the better! We hope you've had plenty of those moments in your life too...

Today Katy says goodbye to an old friend, someone she has known for over three decades. She got the news in a text message that her friend had passed away unexpectedly in Bangkok, where he had been living for 20 years. Today she gives a vulnerable and heartfelt tribute to him, and plays a clip from an episode he appeared on many years ago. - ------------------------------------ ADVERTISE WITH US:...

We all know how quick life can take a turn, when an accident or split-second decision throws your entire world into tilt, and everything changes in an instant. We're not talking major catastrophes or tragedies today, but rather those annoying little things you take for granted (like having a hand that functions properly or a strict, reliable routine), and when those things, for reasons outside you...

March, for Katy, is the most melancholy and miserable month of the year, and we talk about why on Monday's full episode . She mentions a particular March a number of years ago when the combination of wretched and dismal weather plus a cold and unpleasant work space put her into a depressed state for the entire month. Out of curiosity, we decided to pull an episode from that very month to reair for...

It's spring at last, but early spring (and the month of March in particular) can mean different things to different people. For Katy in Seattle it's a time of constant rain and drizzle, for Tiffany in Rome it's one of most beautiful an temperate times of year, before the blistering heat of summer arrives.  But whether you love March or hate it, it's never easy when it seems like everyone you know...

"An adventure is simply physical and emotional discomfort recollected in tranquility." —Tim Cahill Do you agree? In this mini-episode, we share a snippet of a past interview with fellow podcaster and adventurer Scott Gurian. He talks about his habit of seeking adventure, being a planner who knows the best experiences are often unplanned, and how he has turned from reporting on others adventures to...

Today we have the pleasure of hosting an episode of one of our favorite travel podcasts, Far From Home , hosted by Scott Gurian. In this episode, Jamie Yuenger talks about the unexpected challenges of adjusting to life as a New Yorker living in the Netherlands. She describes the near impossibility of making friends with locals, the lost feeling of not knowing the "terms of engagement," and the sur...

They say that in Italy, you're either a furbo or a fesso —a wise guy or a chump. It's an unhappy reality that, in many situations in Italy, if you're not getting one over on someone else, someone is inevitably getting one over on you. After Monday's debate over the possible unexpected benefits of Italian disorganization, Tiffany recalls a few times in her nearly two decades of living in Rome when...

Italians love to complain about how disorganized everything is in Italy, but deep down, do they actually like it? A chance conversation Tiffany had last week sparked this episode about the possible benefits of living a country that doesn't take rules and regulations quite so seriously. Is there something to be said for a place that's a bit more flexible and relaxed, where people are more apt to "l...

What does it take to produce a professional-quality podcast? As in, what does it really take? As you may know, Katy is a seasoned radio and audio professional, not just the host and mastermind of The Bittersweet Life . Today she lets you in on a few of her podcasting secrets, including a peek behind the curtain to what a piece of tape can sound like before she edits it, as well as practical advice...

Is it possible to move to Italy without speaking Italian? Can you find a job in Italy without speaking Italian? Can you make friends? This week we tackle a listener email, a question from someone who is pining to move to Italy, but is worried that she won't be able to find work or fit in, since she barely speaks the language. Tiffany and Katy spill on how much Italian you really need to know to ge...

You've seen the David, you know all about the Duomo, and the Uffizi is just to crowded... What else is there to see in Florence? As it turns out, a lot.  On this mini-episode, Tiffany fills you in on some amazing places to visit in Florence once you've seen the top three. Sign up for our newsletter for a full list with addresses, websites, and visiting information, as well as a few Florence restau...

Today The Bittersweet Life pops off to Florence, or at least, Tiffany regales Katy with the details of her recent trip to the cradle of the Renaissance, including specific stops she made to research her latest book, a YA historical fiction thriller set in Florence in 1600. Also, we talk about how memory-provoking it can be to travel to a place that you haven't been in over a decade, but that you h...

After a discussion about how living in a foreign country can sometimes make you feel like you're completely overlooked and even invisible, Katy shares why, as a writer, that might be a wonderful thing. Be sure to listen to Monday's full episode first! ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us an email to get the...

Today we start the episode with a clip of comedy writer David Sedaris talking about his experiences as an expat, someone who, as he says, "doesn't count." This sparks a conversation about the anonymity that comes with being and living abroad. Is it a good thing? Is it simply a novelty that will wear off the longer you stay in a foreign country? Katy can relate, remembering her time as a completely...

On Monday we talked about the risks of missing out on important moments because we are too busy photographing them to actually live them, and in particular, we talked about society's obsession with the selfie . But compulsively photographing yourself is not the only problem. On this mini-episode, we chat with Aurelio to get his perspective on having a mom who is constantly (according to him) takin...

Once upon a time, we took pictures in order to remember our travels—now we travel in order to get good pictures... so we can share on social media. At least, that's the take of opinion piece Tiffany happened upon in the New York Times , titled You're Pointing Your Camera the Wrong Way by Margaret Renkl. The piece hit home because Tiffany (like many people) often feels the urge to capture every mom...

The art of letter-writing is not lost! Not if you, like Katy, choose to keep it alive. On this mini-episode, we hear from Katy's mom, who describes an wonderful keepsake from someone she wrote letters to for decades, and now she's passing on the tradition. Also, Katy reads some postcards she wrote to her mom while she was living in Rome. And remember, anyone who donates to this podcast—once or reg...

There's something poignant about knowing that you will never see a particular painting again, even if you don't even really like that painting. Today, Katy shares an excerpt from a book she's reading The Victorian and the Romantic , by Nell Stevens (known under the title Mrs. Gaskell and Me in the UK), about a woman in the the Victorian period who had been in Rome for three months, and as she prep...

Today we time-travel back to 2004 when Tiffany was a newly arrived expat in Rome. Believe it or not, those first few weeks and months were not exactly idyllic. Far from it. Tiffany reads some excerpts from her journals from 2004, entries that she has not looked at in almost 19 years! One thing that she hadn't remembered: how thoroughly miserable and homesick she was upon arrival. Laugh and cringe...