HeyJaredThe Bittersweet Life
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.
- Indexed episodes, last 90 days
- 25
- Latest publication
- Sep 28, 2026
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- Earliest in this view
- Jul 6, 2026
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Episode 648: Misperceiving Italy (opens the original)
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A cringy AI-generated ad that touts a gimmicky protein pasta as "just like in Italy!" makes us wonder: what are the worst misperceptions around Italian culture, food, and lifestyle? We muse on how easy it is to fall prey to these misconceptions and end up having an inauthentic experience while in Italy, or not enjoying an authentic Italian meal because it's not what we were expecting. And it's not just about food. We dig into stereotypes about Italian culture that just won't go away, and other c
The Bittersweet Past: The Joy of Anticipating Travel (opens the original)
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Some psychologists say that anticipation of a desired event can often bring more happiness than experiencing the event itself. And if that's the case, can we conclude that planning a trip is even more fun that actually taking the trip? In this episode from our archives, we take inspiration from a recent article in the New York Times, Travel and the Art of Anticipation by Stephanie Rosenbloom. We muse about the so-called "happiness reset," the pleasure of anticipating travel, and the joys to be g
Episode 647: How to Vote from Abroad in US Elections (opens the original)
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The US mid-term elections are just around the corner, and it's important to know that Americans living or studying abroad can vote from whereever they happen to be! (And it's actually not that complicated to do!) This week Tiffany took part in a voter registration drive for American students at a study-abroad campus in Rome, and she chatted with Kelly Feenan, a volunteer at Votefromabroad.org , a non-partisan group that helps expats register to vote from abroad and request their ballots. Kelly s
The Bittersweet Past: A Walk through Trastevere (opens the original)
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On this episode from way way back in the early archives of the show, Tiffany and Katy take listeners on a walking tour of their favorite Roman neighborhood, Trastevere. *** 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: Our 4th annual Bittersweet Life Roman Ad
Episode 646: Celebrating Life while You're Alive (with Katy's sisters) (opens the original)
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Today we're joined by Katy's sisters, Dana and Sara, to chat about what's on the horizon for Dana, considering her diagnosis of terminal brain cancer last year. As always, Dana shares inspiring words of hope and fortitude, proving that a terminal cancer diagnosis doesn't necessarily mean an instant end to a happy and rich life. They also attempt to address the question: would you want to know how much time you have left? For most of us, this is abstract question we'll never have to face. But Dan
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