))
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 authors along the way).
…
continue reading
Moving across the world to another country can be hard, but it's easier when your significant other is a local. "From My Home To Yours" follows the journey of Bernadine (Irish) & Matthew (Australian) moving their lives from Australia to Ireland. They leave no stone unturned as they discuss the logistics and planning needed to make the journey successful, and the emotional upheaval of making a new life together halfway across the world.
…
continue reading
Successful e-commerce, retail, and tech entrepreneurs share their startup stories and proven strategies and tactics that they used to start and grow their businesses. Learn, get inspired, and then take action to build your dream business.
…
continue reading
1
Crafting a Sustainable Business From Worn Tees - Nathan Rothstein of Project Repat
54:46
54:46
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
54:46
Nathan Rothstein, founder of Project Repat. Nathan shares the story of how Project Repat started in 2012 to convert customers' memorable t-shirts into high-quality quilts. Discussing his entrepreneurial journey, Nathan reveals the initial inspiration, challenges faced, and strategies used to scale the business to an eight-figure enterprise.…
…
continue reading
On last week’s archive episode, we talked about fantasy, and the benefits and pitfalls of focusing on and working toward your personal fantasies. But somehow, no matter how hard we try, reality always seems to intrude upon fantasy. Is that always a bad thing? Our thoughts might surprise you. Listen in to this week’s episode from our archives where …
…
continue reading
1
Turning Canine Love Into a Lifestyle Brand - Mai Tran of Cavology
40:28
40:28
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
40:28
Mai Tran, the founder of Cavology, a Canadian-based lifestyle brand specializing in fashionable and functional accessories for dogs and their owners. Mai shares her inspiring journey from practicing law to becoming an entrepreneur in the pet industry. She discusses the development and growth of her brand, the strategies and tactics used to build an…
…
continue reading
1
The Bittersweet Past: Sometimes a Fantasy
30:47
30:47
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
30:47
How much of life is us trying to fulfill the fantasies of our youth? And is there anything inherently wrong with weaving fantasies and attempting to fulfill them? Is reality overrated? We explore this idea on this episode from our archives. The Bittersweet Life podcast has been on the air for an impressive 10+ years! This August, we are taking a we…
…
continue reading
1
The Bittersweet Past: The Infamous Hat Box Episode
36:41
36:41
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
36:41
It began with a simple question: what's the most impractical thing you have ever traveled with? Little did we know it would turn into one of our favorite (and perhaps silliest episodes) as Tiffany reminisces about her earliest trips abroad in the 1990s, when bringing two hat boxes and three full-sized suitcases on a solo trip to Europe was actually…
…
continue reading
1
Bittersweet Moment #227: Ferragosto and Italy's Universal August Holidays
13:15
13:15
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
13:15
Why does (seemingly) every single person in Italy go on vacation during the month of August? If you've ever visited Italy in the month of August, you'll know that big cities and small towns alike empty out, particularly during the two middle weeks of August, and it can be a challenge to find a decent restaurant or shop open, or more locals than you…
…
continue reading
What percentage of Italian men cheat? Is it really 100% like a family friend of Tiffany’s smugly insisted when she first moved to Italy? Or is that number closer to the rest of the world, only it’s more acknowledged over here? Did Tiffany take a terrible risk marrying an Italian, or is cultural background irrelevant to fidelity? And what about Ital…
…
continue reading
1
The BIttersweet Past: The Irresistible Call of Vietnam
33:25
33:25
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
33:25
Katy's father Dale and sister Sara join us on this episode from our archives to look back on their past family travels to Southeast Asia, specifically Vietnam. Katy, who was not a travel-lover as a younger person, asks her dad if he invited her to join him on his frequent trips to Vietnam in order to expand her world through travel. His answer surp…
…
continue reading
It's a common security question: What is the name of your first pet? Tiffany and Katy reminisce about the pets that they adopted and loved throughout their childhood and what was special about them. Aurelio (Tiffany's son), would like his first pet now, please, and he really wants a dog. Should he get one? This is just a snippet of our most recent …
…
continue reading
Can you remember the first time you were truly frightened—by a movie, a ghost story, or even a real event that you witnessed? On this episode, Katy and Tiffany delve back into their earliest memories to come up with the first instances of true fear that they experienced—and most of the time they can laugh at them now. We also wonder: can one instan…
…
continue reading
1
[THE BITTERSWEET PAST] Florence, Memories, and A Room with a View
30:05
30:05
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
30:05
On this nostalgic episode from our archives, Tiffany regales Katy with the details of a recent trip to the cradle of the Renaissance, including specific stops she made to research her latest book, a YA historical fiction thriller set in Florence in 1600. Also, we talk about how memory-provoking it can be to travel to a place that you haven't been i…
…
continue reading
1
Navigating challenges in finance, leadership, and tech integration - Joanne Liscano of On-Air Parking
44:01
44:01
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
44:01
Joanne Liscano, the Chief Executive Officer of On-Air Parking. Joanne shares her inspiring journey from working at American Airlines to becoming the CEO of a travel technology company. She discusses the challenges of balancing family life with a professional career and how she utilized her skills to climb the ranks within On-Air Parking. Joanne als…
…
continue reading
1
Episode 591: Where Would You Go if You Had Six Months to Travel? (with Katy's sisters Dana and Sara)
45:21
45:21
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
45:21
Where would you go if you only had about six months left before travel would be out of the question for health reasons? Most people will never be forced to answer this question, but today's guest was recently asked this question by her husband, as they prepare and plan for the end of her life, after a devastating termincal cancer diagnosis. In this…
…
continue reading
1
[THE BITTERSWEET PAST] Katy Explores the Rich Culture of Bali
44:47
44:47
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
44:47
In a world that is becoming ever more homogenized, what sets places apart? What are the blaring indicators that communicate we are in a place vastly different from anywhere we've ever been before? In this episode from our archives, Katy recounts her magical and sometimes maddening week in Bali. She lays out the ways the island delighted and surpris…
…
continue reading
School is out in Italy, and the summer is LONG (not to mention, extremely HOT!) and a certain red-headed someone is refusing to go to summer camp. To fill the time (and keep his brain from atrophying), Tiffany has created a daily list of ten things her son Aurelio must do. Can you guess what's on there? This is jsut a preview of a bonus episode ava…
…
continue reading
1
Episode 590: How to Cultivate a Growth Mindset
43:15
43:15
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
43:15
What is a growth mindset and why would you want one? And perhaps more importantly, how do you cultivate one? To answer these questions, we dive back into Dr. Therese Huston's fascinating book, Sharp: 14 Simple Ways to Improve Your Live with Brain Science. We explore the idea of growth vs. fixed mindset in relation to our own lives, learning to do t…
…
continue reading
1
[THE BITTERSWEET PAST] Just Across the Border: Austria vs. Italy
36:51
36:51
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
36:51
Since July is a big month for travel, this month we are re-airing episodes from our archives every Friday that revisit trips we've taken in the past. After her recent two-week trip to Austria, Tiffany reflects on the differences between Italy and Austria. Despite the fact that the countries share a border, it turns out there are many glaring differ…
…
continue reading
1
The $500K Kickstarter Torch That Changed Grilling Forever - Bob Healey of GrillBlazer
1:12:40
1:12:40
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:12:40
Bob Healey, founder and inventor of GrillBlazer. Bob shares his fascinating journey from frustration with low-quality propane torches to creating the innovative Grill Gun. He discusses the challenges and strategies he employed to take his idea from concept to market. Bob explains the importance of hands-on design, navigating manufacturing hurdles, …
…
continue reading
1
bittersweet Moment #226: Skip the Vatican (and Go Here Instead)
10:21
10:21
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
10:21
Rome is extremely hot and extremely crowded right now, and the Vatican Museums have become an almost unbearable place. Instead of spending a miserable (and potentially hazardous) day inside one of the most amazing but sadly most overcrowded and unpleasant museums in the world, we've come up with a list of places you can go in Rome to find the same …
…
continue reading
...According to the latest brain science anyway. Katy discovered this provcative tidbit in Dr. Therese Huston's new book, Sharp: 14 Simple Ways to Improve Your Life with Brain Science. She asks Tiffany if she's ever had a vision board and proceeds to explain why the thinking behind this concept is faulty. But Tiffany has her own ideas on this topic…
…
continue reading
1
[THE BITTERSWEET PAST] Romance, for Expats
45:01
45:01
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
45:01
How do you flirt in a foreign language? What if you barely speak the language in question? Is it easier to flirt with a foreigner than with someone from your own culture? What happens when cultural miscommunication crops up? And how do you manage to be witty and charming in a foreign language? On this episode from our archives, we delve into Tiffan…
…
continue reading
A school initiative in Italy is bringing elementary school children and opera together in an ingenius way! On this bonus episode, available exclusively to our supporters on Patreon, we talk about the sheer delight this project has brought to hundreds of thousands of people on social media. Which brings up the question: what exactly makes something …
…
continue reading
1
Episode 588: Closets, and Other Things Italy Doesn't Have
32:34
32:34
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
32:34
Have you ever noticed that Italian homes don't have closets? Bedroom closets, linen closets, broom closets, coat closets—they simply don't exist (unless you as a homeowner or renter decide to build one). Because of this lack of convenient storage space, Italians, twice a year, every year, have to swap out all their winter clothes (and pack them awa…
…
continue reading
1
[THE BITTERSWEET PAST] The Complications of an Expat Divorce (with Debra Bruno)
20:32
20:32
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
20:32
Do expat couples divorce more than couples who live in their home countries? They certainly face different challenges. On this episode from our archives, writer and former expat Debra Bruno joins us to talk about her article Divorce Global Style: For Expat Marriages, Breaking Up is Harder to Do which appeared on the Wall Street Journal's Expat Blog…
…
continue reading
1
Balancing Tradition & Innovation in Fashion - Arpit Aryan Gupta of NG Apparels
55:47
55:47
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
55:47
Arpit Aryan Gupta, the partner and new business development head of NG Apparels. Arpit shares insights about his journey as a fourth-generation entrepreneur in the textile industry. He discusses the history and evolution of NG Apparels, an India-based custom and sustainable clothing manufacturer utilizing ethical and fair trade practices. Gain valu…
…
continue reading
1
Bittersweet Moment #225: Baffling Italian Beach Culture
17:39
17:39
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
17:39
Tiffany does not get Italian beach culture. In this candid (and a bit heated) mini-episode, she wonders: what's the appeal of overcrowded beaches, endless rows of umbrellas and chaise longues as far as they eye can see, baking, inescapable heat, and dirty warm water that most people don't even swim in? Why are Italians so obsessed with spending eve…
…
continue reading
1
Episode 587: Tears and Surprises at a Caravaggio Exhibit
42:45
42:45
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
42:45
Tiffany finally made it to Rome's epic 2025 Caravaggio exhibit and it was well worth the wait! (The tickets were also nearly as hard to come by as seats at Taylor Swift concert!) Tiffany and Katy talk about the thoughts that came up during the exhibit, incluing possibly misplaced tears, an astonishing encounter with true Caravaggio expert, and what…
…
continue reading
1
[THE BITTERSWEET PAST] Should I Stay or Should I Go? (with Amy Knauff)
34:28
34:28
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
34:28
Expat Amy has lived abroad since college. First in Italy, then in Nicaragua, then back to Italy. In this interview from our archives, we sat down with her (over a decade ago!) to chat about her indecisiveness on whether to return to the US or not. All year she had been planning to return to move back and yet she never leaves. That got us wondering,…
…
continue reading
