The Bittersweet Life

This week, we hit the streets of Rome with our recording equipment to search for ancient ruined artifacts or "spoglie" hidden in plain sight. Rome has been inhabited without interruption for over three thousand of years. A past like that cannot but leave its mark on a city. And if you keep your eyes open, the vestiges of Rome's ancient past can be found around almost every corner.

From the fluted Corinthian columns walled into the sides of nondescript buildings to the piazza that follows the shape of the ancient stadium it was built upon, from the crumbling Roman buildings that found new life as Renaissance palaces to the fragments of ancient decoration plastered into the walls of medieval buildings…the history of Rome is palpable in its very urban fabric.

You don't have to visit an archeological site or even a museum to discover the city's many layers of history. Just take a long rambling walk through Rome's historic center and you'll find the tangible ghosts of the ancient city coming to life all around you.

Want to follow along with us? Here's a list of the stops we make on our passeggiata: • Ponte Fabricio • Torre dei Caetani (*Note: Tiffany mistakenly refers to it as the Torre dei Crescenzi in the episode. Oops!) • Portico Of Octavia • Theater of Marcellus (and Palazzo Orsini) • Largo di Torre Argentina (and the Cat Sanctuary) • Piazza Navona (and Sant'Agnese in Agone Church) • Piazza di Pietra and the Temple of Hadrian

PS If you'd like to book a walking tour of Rome with Tiffany, read about her tours here. Better yet, come to Rome for a magical week with Katy and Tiffany in October 2025! Find out more about our unforgettable listener trip here.

***The Bittersweet life podcast has been on the air for an impressive 10+ years! In order to help newer listeners discover some of our earlier episodes, every Friday we are now airing an episode from our vast archives! Enjoy!***

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

COME TO ROME WITH US: For the third year in a row, we are hosting an intimate group of listeners for a magical and unforgettable week in Rome, this October 2025! Discover the city with us as your guides, seeing a side to Rome tourists almost never see. Find out more here.

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.

START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up.

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 WITH TIFFANY: If you're traveling to Rome, don't miss the chance to tour the city with Tiffany as your guide!

What's going on in the life of The Bittersweet Life podcast's favorite 9-year-old redhead?

On this exclusive bonus episode, Tiffany catches up our Patreon supporters on the life and times of Aurelio, how he's growing, and what he loves lately.

Want to hear more?

Become part of the Bittersweet Life community by supporting just on Patreon! For as little as $5 per month—less than the price of a coffee in some places—you will have access to multiple bonus episodes every single month.

You'll hear conversations that would never take place on the main show, you'll be part of our new chat community, you'll have access to Patreon-only content in addition to bonus episodes, and you'll be invited to join us for regular live meet-ups.

But most importantly, you'll be doing your part to help keep this show alive—an independent podcast with no corporate support. (You'll also help keep it virtually ad-free!)

Check our our Patreon page for all the details, and consider joining us at the $5 level or above. We are eternally grateful!

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

COME TO ROME WITH US: For the third year in a row, we are hosting an intimate group of listeners for a magical and unforgettable week in Rome, this October 2025! Discover the city with us as your guides, seeing a side to Rome tourists almost never see. Find out more here.

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.

START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up.

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!

To cruise or not to cruise?

Most travelers have strong opinions about cruising, and can be easily divided into two factions: the cruise-lovers and the never-cruisers. But what is travel for if not to park your biases and open your mind a little? Is it possible that a never-cruiser could actually (gasp!) enjoy a cruise?

On this episode, Katy describes how she was roped into going on a cruise with her sisters, in order to participate in their annual sisters' trip "Sisterfest," an unmissable event in Katy's year.

And you know what? She didn't hate it.

Despite being someone who savors slow travel, likes to go back to the same places over and over, and aims to get to know a place deeply over the course weeks or months, Katy found something to appreciate in cruise travel.

She talks about the good, the bad, and the hilarious when it comes to cruising, and why—as many veteran cruisers probably know—it's not about where you go, it's about what's going on on the ship.

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

COME TO ROME WITH US: For the third year in a row, we are hosting an intimate group of listeners for a magical and unforgettable week in Rome, this October 2025! Discover the city with us as your guides, seeing a side to Rome tourists almost never see. Find out more here.

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.

START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up.

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!

Want to raise a bilingual child? Whether you are an expat or not, in a mixed-culture relationship or not, it is possible to raise your child in two (or more) languages, and the benefits you will pass on to your child are significant. But how do you go about it?

On this episode from our archives, we sit down with British mum Kristie Prada, author and creator of the blog Mamma Prada. She and her Italian husband live in the UK and are serious about raising their children to speak both languages flawlessly. In her effort to do just that, she has become an expert on childhood bilingualism, and shares that knowledge onto her blog.

On this episode, Kristie shares her favorite resources for raising children in two languages, the most interesting of which is double-language book series by One Third Stories. She also shares the brilliant idea of teaching your child about the other country and its culture as a way of piquing his or her interest in the language (instead of the other way around), and offers tips and tricks for staying strong when your older child resists the minority language.

If bilingualism is something you want for your child, this is the episode for you!

This episode also features a bonus appearance by none other than Tiffany's son Aurelio, who offers a peek into the mind of a bilingual toddler, and answers Katy's hard-hitting questions, such as, "What does a cow say?"

***The Bittersweet Life podcast has been on the air for an impressive 10+ years! In order to help newer listeners discover some of our earlier episodes, every Friday we are now airing an episode from our vast archives! Enjoy!***

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

COME TO ROME WITH US: For the third year in a row, we are hosting an intimate group of listeners for a magical and unforgettable week in Rome, this October 2025! Discover the city with us as your guides, seeing a side to Rome tourists almost never see. Find out more here.

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.

START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up.

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 does it mean to do the Giro delle Sette Chiese, or the Route of the Seven Churches? And what does it have to do with Rome's newly inaugurated Jubilee?

Find out on this all-new mini-episode! Plus, learn some fun facts about Rome's seven most important churches!

To find out more about Rome's Jubilee, don't miss our previous mini-episode, Bittersweet Moment #215: Rome's Jubilee Arrives!

And don't miss your chance to visit Rome with us, on our intimate Rome listener trip, coming up in October 2025. Find out all about it here, or email us for more information!

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

COME TO ROME WITH US: For the third year in a row, we are hosting an intimate group of listeners for a magical and unforgettable week in Rome, this October 2025! Discover the city with us as your guides, seeing a side to Rome tourists almost never see. Find out more here.

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.

START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up.

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!

Is being stubborn a good thing or a bad thing?

Tiffany has always considered it one of her best qualities, but after listening to last week's expat interview with Darlene Sullivan, now she's not so sure.

Katy and Tiffany discuss their takeaways from the previous episode, and Tiffany shares a story about the time being stubborn definitely did not benefit her.

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

COME TO ROME WITH US: For the third year in a row, we are hosting an intimate group of listeners for a magical and unforgettable week in Rome, this October 2025! Discover the city with us as your guides, seeing a side to Rome tourists almost never see. Find out more here.

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.

START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up.

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's episode is inspired by a letter from one of our long-time listeners. Giovanna wonders what to do after hitting an "expat plateau," when the rapid learning and expanding period of being a new expat inevitably slows down.

After a little over a year living on the idyllic Italian island of Ischia (by way of New York, London, and Rome), Giovanna ponders what to do when the novelty of expat life wears off and you're left with just... life.

She also asks the question: does moving to the tiny Italian town where her mom was born somehow nullify the life her parents strived to create as immigrants in the States?

We explore this and other topics on this episode pulled from our archives.

***The Bittersweet life podcast has been on the air for an impressive 10+ years! In order to help newer listeners discover some of our earlier episodes, every Friday we are now airing an episode from our vast archives! Enjoy!***

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

COME TO ROME WITH US: For the third year in a row, we are hosting an intimate group of listeners for a magical and unforgettable week in Rome, this October 2025! Discover the city with us as your guides, seeing a side to Rome tourists almost never see. Find out more here.

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.

START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up.

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!

On this week's exlusive bonus episode, we talk about the catastrophic fires that are, as of recording time, still raging in the Los Angeles area, and how they are affecting some of Tiffany's closest family members.

Want to hear more?

Become part of the Bittersweet Life community by supporting just on Patreon! For as little as $5 per month—less than the price of a coffee in some places—you will have access to multiple bonus episodes every single month.

You'll hear conversations that would never take place on the main show, you'll be part of our new chat community, you'll have access to Patreon-only content in addition to bonus episodes, and you'll be invited to join us for regular live meet-ups.

But most importantly, you'll be doing your part to help keep this show alive—an independent podcast with no corporate support. (You'll also help keep it virtually ad-free!)

Check our our Patreon page for all the details, and consider joining us at the $5 level or above. We are eternally grateful!

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

COME TO ROME WITH US: For the third year in a row, we are hosting an intimate group of listeners for a magical and unforgettable week in Rome, this October 2025! Discover the city with us as your guides, seeing a side to Rome tourists almost never see. Find out more here.

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.

START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up.

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've dreamed of moving to Italy since you were 16 years old, and after years of scheming and planning, you finally made it happen.

But... you're not happy.

Could it be that you made a mistake in moving abroad? Or maybe you're just not in the right town.

Longtime listener Darlene Sullivan joins us this week to talk about what happens when expat reality doesn't quite live up to your dreams—but how that doesn't necessarily mean you've made a mistake. Sometimes you just need to recalibrate and find a living situation that matches your personality.

Another important lesson: don't underestimate how trauma might be souring your expat experience. Just because something bad happens in your adopted country, doesn't mean you're not supposed to be there.

If you haven't already, go back and listen to our first interview with Darlene, shortly after her move to Bolzano, Italy back in 2020, Episode 435: When Expat Dreams Come True.

Darlene is a freelance textile designer. Find her work at her website. Or find her on Instagram here. If you're interested in reading her Master's thesis, Flocking Together, which she mentions in the episode, it's available here.

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

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.

START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up.

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!

Have you ever wondered how speaking a second or third language more often than your native tongue can reshape your thinking?

In this episode from the archives of The Bittersweet Life, Tiffany reflects on 15 years of living abroad and how it has transformed the way she communicates—even in her first language.

We dive into the surprising cognitive and emotional challenges of navigating life in a foreign language, especially for writers, who rely so heavily on nuanced expression.

Plus, we explore how bilingual or multilingual couples often gravitate toward one shared language in their relationship—and how this dynamic might shift dramatically when raising a child in a multilingual household.

Tune in to discover the fascinating ways language shapes identity, relationships, and the thought-process.

Language is one of our most popular topics! You might be interested in these past episodes about language:

Episode 476 Italy Bans the English Language

Episode 430 Does Language Shape Thinking?

Episode 355 Losing Language

Episode 63 LANGUAGE, Part 3 (with J J Michael)

Episode 19 LANGUAGE, Part 2

Episode 2 LANGUAGE, Part 1

Bittersweet Moment #96: Disappearing Languages

Bittersweet Moment #54: Learning to Read in Two Languages at Once

Bittersweet Moment #3: LANGUAGE

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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.

START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up.

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!