Rephonic
Artwork for The Bittersweet Life
Rome
Italy
Travel
Expat Life
Rome, Italy
Covid-19
Seattle
Language Learning
Cultural Differences
Christmas
Patreon
Bilingualism
Caravaggio
Florence
Social Media
Moving
Self-Discovery
Italian Language
United States
Italian Culture

Life doesn't have a script. At least, it doesn't have to. Hosts Katy Sewall and Tiffany Parks explore the challenges and joys of moving abroad and moving home. Whether you're living overseas, or not — or not yet — join us weekly for unadulterated conversation. Get to know Rome. Laugh at our embarrassments and insights. Most of all, imagine the possibilities for your own life (and meet some famous ... more

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Artwork for The Bittersweet Life

Latest Episodes

Tiffany and her husband Claudio celebrated a (relatively) big anniversary last month. On this bonus episode available exclusively to our Patreon supporters, Tiffany talks about what they did to mark the day, and how that connects with our big Rome tr... more

Lately it seems that people go on vacation just for the pleasure of standing in line.

What's going on?

We blame social media and viral influencers who would have many uninformed tourists believe that there's only ONE place to get the "best" espre... more

Formerly close but now estranged siblings, two girls with a passion for swimming in the sea, a death that reveals long hidden secrets, a voice message from beyond the grave, and a tradtional Caribbean cake that ties it all together.

These are the i... more

Today we bring you Part 2 of Monday's Episode 632 in which we are inspired by a recent article, the Seattle Times to predict what Seattleites would enjoy in Rome based on what they like to do in Seattle.

Listen in to get ideas and tips for what to ... more

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Recent Guests

Charmaine Wilkerson
Former journalist whose award-winning short stories have appeared in various magazines and anthologies
Author of Black Cake
Episode: The Bittersweet Past: Black Cake (with Charmaine Wilkerson)
Adrienne Brodeur
Author of Wild Game, My Mother, Her Lover, and Me
Author; Aspen Words (Executive Director)
Episode: The Bittersweet Past: Wild Game (with Adrienne Brodeur)
Hallie Rubenhold
Social historian
Author of The Five, The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper
Episode: The Bittersweet Past: The Five Victims of Jack the Ripper (with Hallie Rubenhold)
Maddalena Vario
Dating and relationship coach for women who are expats
Self-employed / Maddalena Vario dating coach
Episode: Episode 627: The Challenge of Finding Love as an Expat (with Maddalena Vario)
Dana Newman
American living in Germany; author of You Go Me on the Cookie, Learning Deutsch, Mein Abenteuerlicher Weg
Author; Wanted Adventure YouTube channel
Episode: The Bittersweet Past: A German Adventure (with Dana Newman)
Emma Stephenson
Indie pop musician, Aussie expat in New York
Indie pop duo with Oli Nelson
Episode: The Bittersweet Past: The Creative Lives of Expats
Oli Nelson
Indie pop musician, Aussie expat in New York
Indie pop duo with Emma Stephenson
Episode: The Bittersweet Past: The Creative Lives of Expats
Victoria Montes
Writer and teacher, long-time expat living in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
Episode: Episode 625: What's It Like to Live in Guantanamo Bay? (with Victoria Montes)
Ben Gladding
Husband of Sarah, discusses handling taxes from abroad
Madrid, Spain (teacher)
Episode: Episode 623: Taxes, Taxes, Taxes!

Hosts

Katy Sewall
Host of The Bittersweet Life; frequents topics about expat life, travel, and storytelling with a focus on Rome and Seattle.
Tiffany Parks
Co-host and creator, focused on expat life, travel stories, and creative discussions with guests; sometimes listed with the hosting team as core to the show.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 400 ratings
  • Rome, Florence, Seattle

    This is genius. I can’t believe I didn’t start following them earlier. But, hey, plenty to binge!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Seattle Yakyuu
    United States5 months ago
  • If you love Italy and travel don’t miss this podcast

    I have been listening for a few years and love the content. The episodes about Italy travel and relocation are my favorite but all of them are interesting. You bring interesting perspectives to travel, culture, the expatriate life, and life in general. Keep up the amazing work.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    birdsdurango
    United Statesa year ago
  • Such a warm listen!

    I’m new to the podcast, which was recommended by Katy Lee from the podcast The Europeans, and I’ve really enjoyed the hosts’ candor. It’s such a comforting listen. Their honest discussions about living abroad and their experiences are a pleasure to hear. I’m so glad I found it!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    snežinkaaaaaa
    United Statesa year ago
  • Consistently good

    I’ve been a listener from the beginning and am amazed at how each episode continues to be interesting. I often refer to things I’ve heard either from the banter between the hosts or from their guests. I count on this podcast to keep me entertained during my walks and hope they keep making it for a long time.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jpagaran
    United Statesa year ago
  • New listener but glad I’ve found you!

    I’m so excited to have found this podcast. Initially I started listening as I was looking to find a podcast on ideas/what to do/what not to do in becoming an expat in Italy. I’ve listened to like 20 episodes in the last few days and love not only hearing the good, the bad, but the in between as well. You ladies have done a great job making it feel like it isn’t just informative but also entertaining. I like that you keep it fairly short but in that short amount of time a lot of info comes throug... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    WilliMia
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise candid, warm conversations and the sense of friendship between hosts as a hallmark.
Fans appreciate practical travel tips blended with personal storytelling and humor.
Many note the show's relatable take on expat life, travel, and cultural curiosity, plus strong guest lineups.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Bittersweet Past: Wild Game (with Adrienne Brodeur)
Q: Your book opens by discussing how memory is filtered through perspective, persuasion, and longing. How did you approach structuring the memoir around those ideas?
I approached it by presenting memory as a fluid, interpretive process, acknowledging that different people remember events differently, and then using the author's note as a framework to explain how memories were gathered, edited, and understood from multiple viewpoints.
The Bittersweet Past: Black Cake (with Charmaine Wilkerson)
Q: But since I've read the book and most people haven't yet because it's brand new, can you describe, give us a little outline of what it's about?
Black Cake is a multi-generational story that moves between the past and present, with the Caribbean, the UK, and the US shaping the family's history; in the present, two siblings in California uncover secrets after their mother's death and a mysterious inheritance centering on a Black Cake and a voice recording that reveals unexpected revelations about their mother's life.
The Bittersweet Past: A German Adventure (with Dana Newman)
Q: You moved to Germany not knowing German. Is that right?
Yes, I began with a beginner's approach, took intensive courses after arriving, and gradually built fluency while living in Munich and Prague, which shaped both the book and my perspective on language learning.
The Bittersweet Past: A German Adventure (with Dana Newman)
Q: So what is the full title of your book?
The book is You Go Me on the Cookie, Learning Deutsch, mein Abenteuer Weg (German subtitle), with the English rendering used in publicity; it explains German idioms and how learning language unfolds in real life.
Episode 625: What's It Like to Live in Guantanamo Bay? (with Victoria Montes)
Q: What is life like day-to-day in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba?
Victoria describes a mix of base life with surprising normalcy: limited exits, routine amenities like the galley, constant awareness of being on a military base, and ways she negotiates both the privileges and restrictions of living there.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Bittersweet Life

What is The Bittersweet Life about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on life abroad, cultural exchange, and the bittersweet moments of relocation, with conversations that mix practical travel wisdom, personal storytelling, and creative work across borders. Episodes frequently feature expats, writers, artists, and researchers who illuminate how place, language, and community shape identity, relationships, and everyday life. A standout aspect is the candid, friendship-driven banter between two hosts who often bring in guests with deep experiential or historical expertise, offering listeners both actionable tips and reflective storytelling. The format tends to blend travel guidance, cultural insight, and creative pursuits, making it appealing to people curious about living abroad, travel, lang... more

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To see how many followers or subscribers The Bittersweet Life has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Bittersweet Life?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Bittersweet Life:

1. Things Bakers Know: The King Arthur Baking Podcast
2. Kimberly's Italy Travel
3. Travel with Rick Steves
4. The Sporkful
5. The Atlas Obscura Podcast

How many episodes of The Bittersweet Life are there?

The Bittersweet Life launched 12 years ago and published 997 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on The Bittersweet Life?

Recent guests on The Bittersweet Life include:

1. Charmaine Wilkerson
2. Adrienne Brodeur
3. Hallie Rubenhold
4. Maddalena Vario
5. Dana Newman
6. Emma Stephenson
7. Oli Nelson
8. Victoria Montes

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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