Episode
Episode 627: The Challenge of Finding Love as an Expat (with Maddalena Vario)
- Podcast
- The Bittersweet Life
- Published
- May 4, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1808
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Summary
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. G…