Episode 627: The Challenge of Finding Love as an Expat (with Maddalena Vario)

When you leave your home country and move abroad as a young person, you probably have a plan for finding a place to live, securing employment, maybe even getting health insurance. But what about when it comes to finding love? Dating offers unique challenges to expats, who often have a hard time communicating or even just being themselves in a foreign language, understanding local dating "rules," and adapting to cultural norms that can often be totally foreign. Today's guest Maddalena Vario experienced this for the first time when she moved from Puglia, Italy to Brazil as a student. A second expat experience working in Ireland provided even bigger hurtles, when she made many mistakes—mistakes she discovered later are common to expats. Twenty years later, Maddalena now lives in London with her husband, and she draws on her many experiences dating in foreign cultures for her work as a relationship and dating coach. Find Maddalena on Instagram or on her website . ------------------------------------- COME TO ROME WITH US: Our 4th annual Bittersweet Life Roman Adventure is taking place this year from 1 to 7 November 2026! If you'd like to 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.

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Episode 627: The Challenge of Finding Love as an Expat (with Maddalena Vario) is an episode from The Bittersweet Life by Katy Sewall/Tiffany Parks.

This episode is 30:08 long.

This episode was published on May 4, 2026.

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