The Bittersweet Life

What does Easter look like in the most catholic city on Earth? As it turns out, it's all about two things: Jesus, and big chocolate eggs. And I mean BIG.
Hear all about what a traditional Easter is like in Italy on this week's mini-episode.
Don't miss your chance to visit Rome with us, on our intimate Rome listener trip, coming up in October 2026. Find out all about it here, or email us for more information!
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COME TO ROME WITH US: Our third annual Bittersweet Life Roman Adventure is in the books! If you'd like to join us in 2026, and be part of an intimate group of listeners on a magical and unforgettable journey to Rome, discovering the city with us as your guides, find out more here.
AD-FREE LISTENING: After well over 10 years on the air with little-to-no advertising, in 2026 we have finally made the difficult decision that this completely independent and self-funded show is no longer sustainable without it. HOWEVER! If you join us on Patreon, for as little as $3 per month, you will have access to all new episodes completely ad-free!
ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us an email to get the conversation started.
GET TWO BONUS EPISODES PER MONTH: Pledge your monthly support of The Bittersweet Life at the $5 per month level or above, and you will have access to two all-new (and sometimes wacky) bonus episodes every single month. As well as ad-free listening, occasional live meet-ups, and access to our chat community. 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!

Taxes are enough of a nightmare when you live in your home country. But what happens when you move abroad?
Did you know that the United States is one of only two countries in the world that requires its citizens living outside of the country to file taxes internationally? That mean American expats like Tiffany have to file two returns every year. (Double nightmare!)
Tiffany and Katy talk about their experiences doing their own taxes and whether that is as unwise as it sometimes seems, and Tiffany explains some of the intricacies of filing an expat tax return. But what do we know? We might be getting it all wrong! 
Tax experts, weigh in on the mistakes we're making!
Thanks to My Expat Taxes for supporting this program. Visit My Expat Taxes on Instagram, Facebook, or at their website, to learn how they can help make international tax filing simple and painless. Listeners of The BIttersweet Life received 10% off all services (except for the "Base Lite" plan) by using the code BSL.
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COME TO ROME WITH US: Our third annual Bittersweet Life Roman Adventure is in the books! If you'd like to join us in 2026, and be part of an intimate group of listeners on a magical and unforgettable journey to Rome, discovering the city with us as your guides, find out more here.
AD-FREE LISTENING: After well over 10 years on the air with little-to-no advertising, in 2026 we have finally made the difficult decision that this completely independent and self-funded show is no longer sustainable without it. HOWEVER! If you join us on Patreon, for as little as $3 per month, you will have access to all new episodes completely ad-free!
ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us an email to get the conversation started.
GET TWO BONUS EPISODES PER MONTH: Pledge your monthly support of The Bittersweet Life at the $5 per month level or above, and you will have access to two all-new (and sometimes wacky) bonus episodes every single month. As well as ad-free listening, occasional live meet-ups, and access to our chat community. 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!

In this episode from our archives, we explore the topic of hard work vs. luck, when it comes to a person's success.
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.
***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!***
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COME TO ROME WITH US: Our third annual Bittersweet Life Roman Adventure is in the books! If you'd like to join us in 2026, and be part of an intimate group of listeners on a magical and unforgettable journey to Rome, discovering the city with us as your guides, find out more here.
AD-FREE LISTENING: After well over 10 years on the air with little-to-no advertising, in 2026 we have finally made the difficult decision that this completely independent and self-funded show is no longer sustainable without it. HOWEVER! If you join us on Patreon, for as little as $3 per month, you will have access to all new episodes completely ad-free!
ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us an email to get the conversation started.
GET TWO BONUS EPISODES PER MONTH: Pledge your monthly support of The Bittersweet Life at the $5 per month level or above, and you will have access to two all-new (and sometimes wacky) bonus episodes every single month. As well as ad-free listening, occasional live meet-ups, and access to our chat community. 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!

Last week, Tiffany shared two of her favorite childhood movies with her 10-year-old son, and it was almost like stepping back into the past (particularly with one of the films!).
Find out what Aurelio thought of these classic films? Did he love them as much as Tiffany did when she was little?
And how did they stand the test of time?
Most importantly, did re-watching them after so much time make her cry?
This is just a sneak peek of a much longer bonus episode that drops today, available exclusively to our generous Patreon supporters. 
Want to hear the whole episode and many many more like it?
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, you'll be invited to join us for live meet-ups, and you'll get to enjoy ad-free listening!
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 out 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: Our third annual Bittersweet Life Roman Adventure is in the books! If you'd like to join us in 2026, and be part of an intimate group of listeners on a magical and unforgettable journey to Rome, discovering the city with us as your guides, find out more here.
AD-FREE LISTENING: After well over 10 years on the air with little-to-no advertising, in 2026 we have finally made the difficult decision that this completely independent and self-funded show is no longer sustainable without it. HOWEVER! If you join us on Patreon, for as little as $3 per month, you will have access to all new episodes completely ad-free!
ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us an email to get the conversation started.
GET TWO BONUS EPISODES PER MONTH: Pledge your monthly support of The Bittersweet Life at the $5 per month level or above, and you will have access to two all-new (and sometimes wacky) bonus episodes every single month. As well as ad-free listening, occasional live meet-ups, and access to our chat community. 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 new episode, Tiffany regales us with the beautiful plans she made for a fun weekend that ended up going disastrously awry.
Is part of growing older learning to take such disappointments in stride?
We discuss on this brand-new episode.
-------------------------------------
COME TO ROME WITH US: Our third annual Bittersweet Life Roman Adventure is in the books! If you'd like to join us in 2026, and be part of an intimate group of listeners on a magical and unforgettable journey to Rome, discovering the city with us as your guides, find out more here.
AD-FREE LISTENING: After well over 10 years on the air with little-to-no advertising, in 2026 we have finally made the difficult decision that this completely independent and self-funded show is no longer sustainable without it. HOWEVER! If you join us on Patreon, for as little as $3 per month, you will have access to all new episodes completely ad-free!
ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us an email to get the conversation started.
GET TWO BONUS EPISODES PER MONTH: Pledge your monthly support of The Bittersweet Life at the $5 per month level or above, and you will have access to two all-new (and sometimes wacky) bonus episodes every single month. As well as ad-free listening, occasional live meet-ups, and access to our chat community. 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!