The Bittersweet Life

Our discussion on comedy continues with this bonus episode. Drunkenness, ESL, and expat cliches are on the table. Our guest, comedian Marsha De Salvatore, runs Rome's Comedy Club. Note: If you haven't heard Episode 29, listen to that first.   NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR:  Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring  The...

What people find funny varies from country to country. Comedian Marsha De Salvatore drops by to make us laugh and dissect why we're laughing. You might be funnier in another culture. Did you even think of that?   NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR:  Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring  The Bittersweet Life.  Write the a...

Not all medical systems are created equal. Expats often find that out unexpectedly -- like Katy did after giving herself a concussion.   NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR:  Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring  The Bittersweet Life.  Write the at  bittersweetlife@mail.com  to get the conversation going. JOIN THE CONVERS...

Expat Amy has lived overseas since college. First in Italy, then in Nicaragua, then back to Italy. All year she's been planning to return to the United States but she never leaves. Do long term expats lose their sense of truly belonging anywhere?   NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR:  Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring...

Moving abroad often means becoming a "minority." For many travelers, this is a new experience. Tiffany, Katy and Katy's husband Derek discuss an eye-opening aspect of becoming an expats.   NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR:  Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring  The Bittersweet Life.  Write the at  bittersweetlife@mail....

Our series on the five senses wraps up with touch/feel. What does it feel like to be an expat and how is that different from the tourist experience?   NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR:  Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring  The Bittersweet Life.  Write the at  bittersweetlife@mail.com  to get the conversation going. JO...

Our series on the five senses continues with sight. The sites of Rome have Katy contemplating her own death. Are we just a drop in the bucket? Tiffany and Katy broadcast from a roof on the Capitoline Hill.    NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR:  Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring  The Bittersweet Life.  Write the at  b...

Our series on the five senses continues with taste. Katy and Tiffany try eating and podcasting at the same time while visiting Eataly, a grocery store in Rome. Do countries have a national flavor? Does living abroad require a change in eating habits?   NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR:  Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponso...

Our series on the five senses continues with smell. Katy and Tiffany visit a used book store in Rome that smells like Katy's grandparents house in Pennsylvania. Is smell the closest thing we have to time-travel? NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR:  Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring  The Bittersweet Life.  Write the at...

We begin a 5-part series on the five senses. This week: Sound. Explore Rome, Italy with your ears, and experience how different a city can sound.   NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR:  Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring  The Bittersweet Life.  Write the at  bittersweetlife@mail.com  to get the conversation going. JOIN...

When you move overseas - no one knows you. You have no reputation. No expectations. No history. Does that mean you can completely reinvent yourself and become a new person? Or is a complete revamp impossible?   NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR:  Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring  The Bittersweet Life.  Write the at ...

Do you think in English, or do you just think? Which language expresses ideas easier - English or Italian? Tiffany and Katy discuss language in response to listener Adam's email. If you want to hear "Language, Part 1," look for Episode 2.   NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR:  Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring  The Bi...

Moving overseas can mean giving up a dream; letting go of ideas of who you are or who you hoped to be. Katy and Tiffany discuss the dreams they let go to live abroad.   NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR:  Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring  The Bittersweet Life.  Write the at  bittersweetlife@mail.com  to get the conv...

Why do women feel shame after a bad sexual encounter? Does a lack of support from female friends make an assault worse? Katy and Tiffany talk it over.   NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR:  Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring  The Bittersweet Life.  Write the at  bittersweetlife@mail.com  to get the conversation going....

Cassi and Leon Griesbach moved abroad while expecting a baby. Their plan: Hire local midwives and give birth in their apartment. Cassi shared their story in Episode 12. How did it go? Today we visit with Cassi to find out.   NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR:  Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring  The Bittersweet Life. ...

Sometimes you become an expat for life. Sometimes you repatriate. When moving back home, what's there to look forward to? Katy and Tiffany try to get excited about the fact Katy will eventually move away.   NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR:  Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring  The Bittersweet Life.  Write the at  bit...

Living abroad requires some cultural integration - language, dining hours, work schedules. But do expats integrate with the more superficial things about a culture? Things like fashion, breakfast food, and kissing hello? Katy and Tiffany explore the culture they've picked up, and what they never will.   NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR:  Reach thousands...

People you love and (groan) acquaintances looking for a free place to stay will call you if you move somewhere great. What is an expats responsibility to out-of-town company? Can you be too much of a tour guide? Katy slips out of the house while her guests are napping to talk with Tiffany.   NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR:  Reach thousands of expats an...

Cassi just arrived in Rome with her husband, two little girls, and a baby on the way. She plans to give birth in her apartment. How do you plan for childbirth in a new country with rudimentary language skills? She shares her story.   NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR:  Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring  The Bitterswe...

Our exploration of sexual assault overseas continues with Katy's story. If you haven't heard Part 1, go back and get caught up. This episode picks up right where the other left off. Again, a warning that this episode is not for children.   NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR:  Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring  The Bit...

It's harder to read people in a foreign culture. That can lead to embarrassment or much, much, much worse. Today we delve into the dark side of living abroad by sharing our personal accounts of sexual assault. This episode should not be heard by children. NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR:  Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by spo...

It's lights out in Rome. Not for everyone -- for Katy. There's nothing more humbling to an expat than losing a basic necessity and having no idea why or how to get it back.   NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR:  Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring  The Bittersweet Life.  Write the at  bittersweetlife@mail.com  to get th...

Tiffany dodges Rome's heavy commuter traffic to bring you this episode. The driving rules of your native country seldom apply overseas. That can result in confusion, fury - or worse - a close shave.   NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR:  Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring  The Bittersweet Life.  Write the at  bitterswe...

What's important in life? Accomplishing goals or meeting friends for an aperitivo? Where you live may change the answer.   NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR:  Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring  The Bittersweet Life.  Write the at  bittersweetlife@mail.com  to get the conversation going. JOIN THE CONVERSATION Connect...

When you move overseas -- without a Visa -- can you travel? Katy has overstayed her welcome and now she is facing passport control. Will she be deported?   NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR:  Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring  The Bittersweet Life.  Write the at  bittersweetlife@mail.com  to get the conversation goin...