The Bittersweet Life

We are proud to say that we have some of the most engaged listeners in the entire podcast world! We get lots of mail from our listeners, both comments and questions about specific past episodes, as w…

When Tiffany's mom (and Aurelio's Nana) came to Rome for a visit over Easter, they didn't tell Aurelio that his cousin Parker was coming too. 

It was a surprise they kept for months (and almost spill…

What’s it like to be a tour guide in Rome? How do you break into the business? And how do you learn all the facts, much less put them together to make a coherent, enjoyable tour that lasts just the r…

After our interview with Andrea Scher, author of Wonder Seeker, Katy is inspired to play a game that Andrea invented and outlines in her book. It’s a storytelling game that has the intention not of t…

What is wonder? And how does it affect your life? Perhaps most importantly, what can we do to harness it?

Today we are joined by Andrea Scher, author of Wonder Seeker: 52 Ways to Wake Up Your Creativ…

According to legend, the city of Rome was founded on 21 April 753 BC. That means today is Rome’s 2775th birthday! On this mini-episode, Tiffany tells a very brief version of the founding myth of anci…

We all know what synonyms are, and probably antonyms too. But have you ever heard of contronyms?

Tiffany and Katy have a little fun playing with these controdictory words, which launches a discussion…

We recently challenged you to send us sounds you love, or even familiar everyday sounds that elicit a positive feeling or a sense of anticipation. To show you how many sounds surround you, Katy takes…

Traveling all alone... does sound like a nightmare or a dream? Or perhaps the idea intrigues you but you're a little too scared to try it.

Thanks to a listener question, we delve into the realities o…

Who can say no to amazing works of art that you can see for free?

If you've been paying attention, you know we started this series of mini-episodes with free paintings, ogling works by Pinturicchio, …

Katy's New Year's resolution to go horseback riding (and specifically to gallop) inspired her to interview Mary Anne Campbell, a trainer and master of the art of French classical equitation.

Mary Ann…

Veteran KUOW sound engineer and long-time colleague of Katy, Doug Patterson passed away this month. Much of the work that Katy created over her public radio career was made possible by Doug's technic…

Ever had a souvenir that you' grew to hate? Something that you'd love to get rid of, but can't bear to because you carried it across the world?

Or what about the things you wish you had bought, but d…

We had so many listeners send us feedback about Monday's episode on the challenges of maintain long-term friendships when you live abroad for a significant amount of time, so we decided to share a fe…

When you're a longtime expat, do your friends back home move on?

Expats often make friends with other expats in their adopted country. That can be great, but it also means that it's very likely that …

If you like podcasts (and we assume you do if you're listening to this one), you know how powerful the human voice can be.

While we love getting letters and emails from our listeners—and we often rea…

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 Caribbea…

Love medieval mosaics? Then you're in luck as Tiffany continues her Free Art in Rome's Churches series with a mini-episode all about mosaics— which Roman churches they call home.

From the Paleochrist…