expatpodcast

What's it like to return to the city where you studied abroad? What's it like return 50 years later... and in the company of your former classmates, many you haven't seen for half a century? Today's guests can tell you. For this mini-episode, we're joined by a number of former students who studied abroad in Rome in 1970 and 1971, and have come back for a reunion fifty years later. They talk about how the city has changed, how it has stayed the same, and most intriguingly, how their time abroad all those years ago change their lives forever.

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If you liked this episode, be sure to also check out Episode 133: EXCHANGE, an interview with a husband and wife, Sunny and Doug Strong. Sunny studied in Florence in 1963, and sent her then-boyfriend Doug reel-to-reel tapes chronicling her experiences. We talk to them over fifty years later, and hear her words on the tapes that Doug saved all this time.

***Save the date! We are hosting our first ever live virtual meet-up on 20 October 2021 at 9pm Central European Time (Rome), or 12 noon PST (Seattle). The meet-up is open to all of our patrons and regular donors. Join us on Patreon if you haven't already, then come say hi on the 20th!

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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.

TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.

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.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. 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

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!

You did it! You've landed that amazing job, or maybe you're successfully living abroad in the country you've always dreamed of, or you've published your book, bought your dream home, won a major award in your industry (you fill in the blank). The question is: can you chalk it all up to hard work? Or was there some luck involved? And how much of what you've achieved can be attributed to privilege?

It's tempting to claim you did it alone, but is that even possible? Today we dig into the topic of luck, privilege, and hard work, and how, when they all come together, amazing things can happen. 

***Save the date! We are hosting our first ever live virtual meet-up on 20 October 2021 at 9pm Central European Time (Rome), or 12 noon PST (Seattle). The meet-up is open to all of our patrons and regular donors. Join us on Patreon if you haven't already, then come say hi on the 20th!

-------------------------------------

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.

TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.

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.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. 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

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!

Last week we heard from Tiffany about her very first days living as an expat in Rome 17 years ago. Today, it's Katy's turn. She digs into the daily journal she kept back in the fall of 2013, when she moved to Rome with not only no ability to speak the language, but also no clear idea of what she would do there, or even who she would be. In this intimate mini-episode, hear from Katy's own experiences how moving abroad is not always rainbows and roses—especially not at first.

The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron, the book Katy talks about on this episode.

Hear about Tiffany's first days in Rome if you missed that mini-episode.

**This episode was sponsored by SafetyWing, a fully remote team building a global safety net for digital nomads and travelers worldwide. Their Nomad Insurance is subscription-based coverage for anyone living or traveling outside of their home country. Find more information or sign up at SafetyWing.

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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.

TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.

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.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. 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

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!

The COVID pandemic has separated many families around the world, including that of today's guest, Diana Opong. Normally, her parents travel to Ghana, their home country, several months of every year. But during the pandemic, they got trapped there, and could not return to the United States. That caused some major problems and a lot of worry for Diana and her siblings—but there was one silver lining.

Diana, who is an audio producer and host, joins us to share what it was like to have her parents trapped on the other side of the world.

Find Diana on Twitter, on Facebook, and on Instagram at @diana.opong and @d.o_tell.

***Save the date! We are hosting our first ever live virtual meet-up on 20 October 2021 at 9pm Central European Time (Rome), or 12 noon PST (Seattle). The meet-up is open to all of our patrons and regular donors. Join us on Patreon if you haven't already, then come say hi on the 20th!

-------------------------------------

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.

TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.

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.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. 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

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!

What was Rome like when Tiffany first moved there? On this mini-episode, Tiffany reminisces about what it was like to find an apartment, look for a job, use a cell phone, keep in touch with family, and make friends way back in 2004. (Spoiler alert: it's all way easier now.)

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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.

TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.

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.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. 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

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!

Tiffany and Katy dig into their mail bag and pull out a letter from Tyler, who had been just about to move abroad when the pandemic hit. As he waits and waits (and waits) for things to go back to "normal," he feels time (and perhaps his expat dreams as well) slipping away. He writes to ask what we think he should do—should he throw caution to the wind and go ahead with his plans, or continue to keep his dreams on hold.

As you might have guessed, Katy and Tiffany have VERY different opinions on what he should do. Listen in to hear them get into it.

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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.

TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.

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.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. 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

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!

How has one of our listeners adjusted to moving back to the States after years as an expat in Europe? We find out on this mini-episode. In a follow-up to Monday's show on reverse culture shock, Katy reads an email from long-time listener Sonali, who shares some of the things that shocked her most—from expensive food staples to excessive patriotism—about living in the US again after so much time abroad. Also, Katy explores the various stages of getting used to living in a new culture.

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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.

TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.

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.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. 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

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!

When you've lived abroad for 17 years, going "back home" can sometimes feel like going to a completely foreign country. Things that were once normal feel odd. You find you're no longer used to the way things are done in your former home. And sometimes, you realize that things have changed so much since you last visited, that it doesn't even seem like the country where you grew up anymore.

On the heels of Tiffany's recent trip to the US—after over two years away—she comments on the things that surprised her, unsettled her, and baffled her. She also shares her thoughts on the prospect of moving back to the States one day.

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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.

TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.

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.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. 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

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!

This week, Tiffany's son Aurelio starts first grade! What is Italian elementary school like and how is it different from elementary school in the US? Will native English-speaking Aurelio have to study English as a second language? What about religion? How much homework is assigned? Do they have to go to school on Saturday? And what's up with those blue smocks all the kids wear? Tiffany explains it all on this mini-episode.

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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.

TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.

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.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. 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

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!

After her month-long mega-trip to the States in August, Tiffany regales our listeners with the adventures (and many mis-adventures) of the international travel aspect of the trip. What kind of documentation do you need to get on an international flight? How difficult is it for a non-American citizen to get into the US under the current Covid regulations? What are the crowds like, and what's it like to have to wear a mask for an entire 14-hour flight? And what giant wrench was thrown into her plans that resulted in an unexpected morning spent in Brooklyn, New York? Also, how is international travel like motherhood? Tiffany answers these and many other questions on the very first episode of brand-new Season Nine.

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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.

TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.

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.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. 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

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!

When you move abroad, chances are you'll spend at least a certain amount of time living in a space that doesn't feel like your own: temporary lodgings, a rented room in someone else's flat, or perhaps your dream apartment—that just happens to be filled with furniture and art you abhor. Today's guest, interior designer Rebecca West, shares some ideas on how to make anywhere feel like home.

Be sure to check out Rebecca's book, Happy Starts at Home.

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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.

TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.

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.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. 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

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!

Planning (or hoping) to move abroad? We're guessing you have a lot of questions. Well today, we try to answer them. We rebroadcast one of our most helpful episodes, an interview with serial expat Lori-Lee Elliott (formerly Lori-Lee Emshey), who is currently on her 17th expat assignment. She shares her expert tips on how to successfully prepare for a move abroad, as well as strategies for what to do when you arrive. Perhaps most valuably, she offers advice on what common mistakes to avoid when moving to a new place.

***This episode was sponsored by LUGZ, offering comfortable, versatile and affordable footwear, from stylish boots to canvas shoes. Visit Lugz.com and enter our promo code BITTERSWEET for an extra 30% off.***

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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.

TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.

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.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. 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

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!

In the wake of menacing Hurricane Ida, Katy relives her own experiences with hurricanes in the Big Easy. When she was living in New Orleans several years ago, Hurricane Nate mercifully missed the city, but being in its path brought about both fear and cultural revelation for one temporary resident, your intrepid host Katy Sewall. It also brought about an unexpected interview with BBC radio.

***This episode was sponsored by LUGZ, offering comfortable, versatile and affordable footwear, from stylish boots to canvas shoes. Visit Lugz.com and enter our promo code BITTERSWEET for an extra 30% off.***

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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.

TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.

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.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. 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

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!

Katy interviews Antonio Sersale, son of the founder of the legendary Le Sirenuse hotel in Postiano. From a young age, Antonio was groomed to take over the family business, but resisted for years, convinced the life of a hotelier wasn’t for him. Then, one day he changed his mind. During a recent stay at this exquisite hotel, Katy interviewed Sersale about what changed his mind and—more importantly—what it is about his job that he loves more than he could ever have dreamed of as a young man.

***This episode was sponsored by LUGZ, offering comfortable, versatile and affordable footwear, from stylish boots to canvas shoes. Visit Lugz.com and enter our promo code BITTERSWEET for an extra 30% off.***

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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.

TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.

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.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. 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

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!

American Sunny Strong studied abroad in Florence in 1963, leaving her boyfriend Mike at home. Amazing (especially for us), Sunny captured some of her memories at the time on reel-to-reel tapes, a true time capsule that includes her reaction to the news that Kennedy had been assassinated, and what it was like to live through that time as an American in Florence. Now, after 52 years of marriage, Sunny and Mike recall how that time changed them (changed both of them, not just the student abroad, but the boyfriend left behind). We listen to reel-to-reel tapes and letters from that time that poignantly capture Italy in 1963.

***This episode was sponsored by LUGZ, offering comfortable, versatile and affordable footwear, from stylish boots to canvas shoes. Visit Lugz.com and enter our promo code BITTERSWEET for an extra 30% off.***

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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.

TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.

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.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. 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

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!

A short memoir by Beth Ann Fennelly, from her book Heating & Cooling: 52 Micro Memoirs, inspires a discussion on what makes something glamorous rather than trashy, and why tiny insignificant moments, witnessed unexpectedly, can sometimes stay with us for a lifetime.

***This episode was sponsored by LUGZ, offering comfortable, versatile and affordable footwear, from stylish boots to canvas shoes. Visit Lugz.com and enter our promo code BITTERSWEET for an extra 30% off.***

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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.

TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.

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.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. 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

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!

Learning a foreign language is one of the most desired goals most people have—and that's particularly true for travel lovers. But why do so many people fail in this quest? Today we use linguistics and speech pathology to think about learning languages with special guest Lisa Wilcox. Sound boring? Turns out, it is actually really funny.

***This episode was sponsored by LUGZ, offering comfortable, versatile and affordable footwear, from stylish boots to canvas shoes. Visit Lugz.com and enter our promo code BITTERSWEET for an extra 30% off.***

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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.

TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.

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.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. 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

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!

The Borgias are one of the most fascinating and depraved families in Italian history, and they ruled the Catholic Church. This family has been portrayed in two recent tv shows, but what's the true story? Did they really engage in incest? Did Cesare really murder his brother Juan? Was Lucrezia an over-sexed poisoner or an innocent victim of her family's ambition, or somewhere in between? And what about all those reported orgies? Did they really happen (inside Vatican walls)?

Tiffany talks about the true story behind the Borgias, as well as where you can go in Rome to visit some of the places they lived.

This episode was sponsored by LUGZ, offering comfortable, versatile and affordable footwear, from stylish boots to canvas shoes. Visit Lugz.com and enter our promo code BITTERSWEET for an extra 30% off.

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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.

TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.

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.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. 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

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!

We often talk about North American expats in Europe or Asia. But what about when the shoe is on the other foot? Today we talk to Sabine, a French expat living in New Orleans.

Do Americans need more positive feedback than the French? Sabine explains the communication issues she faces with her American husband. Also, what do her French friends think of her decision to move the the United States? Would you trade Paris for New Orleans? For Sabine, living in NOLA is like taking a tropical vacation—well, some of the time.

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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.

TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.

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.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. 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

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!

We all have fantasies when we're young about how we want our life to turn out. Some are far-fetched, some are probably doable. But ow much of life is us trying to fulfill the fantasies of our youth? And what do we do when those fantasies go unfulfilled? Do we look back with regret, or do we just create new ones?

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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.

TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.

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.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. 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

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!