The Bittersweet Life

Latest Episodes:

Bittersweet Moment #23: FICTIVE Aug 29, 2019

Show notes

On this mini-episode, Katy takes us back in time to the the Golden Age of radio, by re-broadcasting a piece she produced for the Radio Retrospective. In it, she looks at the way the news was manipulated and dramatized leading up to and during World War II, in segments that were aired at the cinema, right before the feature.

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NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET

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WRITE A REVIEW: Leave us a rating and a written review on iTunes so more listeners can find us.

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!

Episode 275: STORY, Part 2 (with Anthony Doerr) Aug 26, 2019

Show notes

This episode is Part 2 of an interview with bestselling writer Anthony Doerr, author of Pulitzer Prize-winning All the Light We Cannot See, and Four Seasons in Rome.

Be sure to listen to Part 1 if you haven't already!

As the conversation continues, Anthony tells the story of finding out he had won the prestigious Rome Prize literally the same day his twin sons were born, and what it took for he and his wife to make the monumental decision to pack up their newborns and move to Rome for a year. He also explains how writing a book set in a foreign city can change your experience of the place.

He also discusses his work as the editor of The Best American Short Stories 2019, out in October and available for pre-order here.

Find Anthony at his website anthonydoerr.com

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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.

NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET

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.

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!

Episode 274: STORY, Part 1 (with Anthony Doerr) Aug 26, 2019

Show notes

In this very special episode, we are joined by the award-winning, best-selling writer, Anthony Doerr, author of All the Light We Cannot See, and Four Seasons in Rome, among others.

Anthony shares his writing journey with Katy, from his earliest beginnings as an amateur writer to the challenges of writing from the perspective of a young blind girl in All the Light We Cannot See. He also shares how he got the idea for this book that would become a world-wide sensation, and why it took him a decade to write.

Also, don't miss part two of this episode, airing immediately after this one, where Anthony delves into his time living in Rome and the memoir that resulted from it.

Find Anthony at his website anthonydoerr.com

His is the editor of The Best American Short Stories 2019, out in October and available for pre-order 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.

NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET

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.

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!

Bittersweet Moment #22: OBSERVATIONS Aug 22, 2019

Show notes

This mini-episode finds Tiffany sitting on a bench on a crowded street corner in Rome's Prati neighborhood, observing the world around her—without her smartphone on hand.

In a follow-up to last week's episode ADDICTION, Parts One and Two, Tiffany carries out Katy's assignment of spending some time alone without looking at her phone, and to notice the world around her instead.

She points out five things she noticed, and explains why not being glued to your phone all the time has its drawbacks as well as its merits.

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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.

NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET

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.

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!

Episode 273: ADDICTION, Part 2 Aug 19, 2019

Show notes

In part two of this week's double-header, we continue our discussion of addiction, this time focusing more on physical addictions, and specifically cigarettes. Katy reveals her struggles with smoking from a young age, and how she finally managed to quit.

She also compares the physical and chemical addiction of something like a cigarette to the more psychological addiction of a smartphone. And what does it actually take to kick these addictions?

Lastly, what do you do if the thing you are addicted to is something you must use in your daily life simply to do your job?

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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.

NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET

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.

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!

Episode 272: ADDICTION, Part 1 Aug 19, 2019

Show notes

How do you know you're addicted to your phone? And more importantly, what can you do about it?

Tiffany recognizes the signs of a looming problem and asks Katy for some advice. This leads to a conversation about addiction in general. Be sure to stick around for Part 2 of this conversation when Katy opens up about struggling with a very different kind of addiction.

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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.

NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET

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.

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!

Bittersweet Moment #21: OWL HOUSE Aug 15, 2019

Show notes

Swiss cabin meets medieval hamlet meets art nouveau glass? As crazy as it sounds, this unlikely mash-up is not an abomination, but rather one of the most charming, yet little visited, museums in Rome.

Tucked away among the greenery of Villa Torlonia north of the city, la Casina delle Civette, or the Owl House, was built in 1840 for an Italian prince, and added to over the decades that followed.

It's most famous for its exceptional glass art, specifically the detailed works of flora and fauna by Art Nouveau master, Duilio Cambellotti. Take a aural tour of this one-of-a-kind place, and we bet you will want to visit in person.

Find more information on the Owl House 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.

NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET

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.

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!

Episode 271: PUNCTUALITY Aug 12, 2019

Show notes

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?

This week, we delve into the world of punctuality, and all of the expectations and resentments that can come with it (or the lack of it).

This idea was suggested by a listener via Instagram. We love when listeners send us suggestions! Send us yours—we might just do an episode on it! Email us 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.

NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET

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.

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!

Bittersweet Moment #20: PARADE Aug 08, 2019

Show notes

On this week's mini-episode, Katy captures the unique and festive sounds of a parade that is passing through her town. And she explains why she sometimes gets choked up when she attends a parade. She also wonders about the origins of the word "parade," and if it ever meant something different from the gleeful file of marching bands, floats, and military regiments that it has come to signify today. Lastly, Katy tells you where you can see both the longest and the shortest parades in the world.

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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.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email at bittersweetlife@mail.com. 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

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.

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!

Episode 270: STATES Aug 05, 2019

Show notes

This week, TIffany fills Katy in on her recent trip to the States, the best parts of the adventure, and how Aurelio is turning out to be an awesome traveler. She also remarks on the things about American life and culture that never fail to surprise her every time she goes back.

Lastly, Tiffany reveals the surprising reaction she had upon flying back to Rome, as well as a thought she hasn't had in all her 15 years of expat life.

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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.

NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET

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.

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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