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MARCH 23, 2012
THE COAST NEWS
Book sheds light on living overseas E’LOUISE ONDASH Hit the Road Barry Frangipane did what a lot of us dream of doing but never have the courage to actually do. He and his wife, Debbie, pulled up stakes, moved to a foreign country and lived there for a year. Then he wrote a book about it. Called “The Venice Experiment: A Year of Trial and Error Living Abroad,” the book recounts the joys, frustrations and idiosyncrasies of Venetian culture, and the newfound relationships that the couple developed while residing in the City of Canals. Why Venice? “Venice is my wife’s favorite city in the world because of the tranquility,” explained the computer consultant during a phone interview. “There are no cars. But for me, the decision was far more pragmatic. No car means no insurance and no gas. And you really get to meet the locals because you walk every place you go. Everyone knows everyone.” It was in 2005 that the Frangipanes decided to leave their Florida home and return to the Venice with which they had fallen in love on an earlier trip. There were plenty of obstacles to conquer
Barry and Debbie Frangipane in their Venice apartment in 2005. After living in the City of Canals for a year, “you look at everything in a different light,” Barry said.Courtesy photo
as a resident rather than a tourist. Rents are expensive and the couple had to move from their first apartment because of the Acqua Alta (high tides). Then there are the friendly repairmen who don’t finish jobs, and blackouts that are a fact of life.The also had to learn to ignore otherwise “good laws” because, as Venetians told them, “they just aren’t very practical.” But there is plenty to love about Venice, too. For one, the slower pace of life is
delightful. “Someone told me early on that you have to adjust to the rhythm of the place you’re living in,” Frangipane said, and in Venice, that means not expecting efficiency. “The importance is not getting the job done but in relationships.” It’s not unusual for a shopkeeper to close the business if someone needs assistance. “In general, Venetians are not interested in making a lot of money,” Frangipane
added. “The typical Venetian has a simple kitchen table that’s been there for 60 years. The TV set is an old 15-inch model. They are more interested in doing than in having.” And Venice residents do like to walk, which makes them healthier than Americans. “On an easy day, you walk 3 miles,” Frangipane said. “On a typical day, you walk 5 or 10 miles. Eightyfive-year olds can walk a couple of miles a day because they’ve always done it.” The couple’s diet changed, too. Eating processed or pre-prepared foods became a thing of the past. “You don’t decide what you’re going to cook,” he said. “You go to market and see what looks good, then you go home and cook up something delicious.” Sadly, the future of the Venice is not bright. Young people move away because there are no jobs, and shop owners must live on the mainland because of the high cost of real estate. Most visitors are from cruise ships and stay only the day, “so (the city) doesn’t even get a bed tax,” Frangipane explained. And then there’s that pesky rising water – or sinking city. Venice descends about an inch every 10 years. Still, spending a year in Venice was an experience Frangipane would never trade because “it expanded our view of the world in a way we couldn’t imagine in advance. Experiencing other cultures increases your ability to enjoy your own – the similarities and the differences – and you tend to look at everything in a different light.” His advice to others who are considering such an adventure? “If you are unsure,” Frangipane said, “go and rent an apartment for three to four weeks and see if you like it. You’ll know whether you can adjust. Then set a date. Once you do this, the obstacles disappear.”
E’Louise Ondash is a freelance writer living in North County. Tell her about your travels at eondash@coastnewsgroup.com.
A preview screening of the Oceanside episode of Getting Away Together was held March 15. Photo by Promise Yee
Oceanside featured in new PBS series By Promise Yee
OCEANSIDE — A preview screening of the Oceanside episode of “Getting Away Together” was held March 15 at City Hall. The new PBS television series features 11 family-fun vacation spots across the U.S. “It helps brand the Oceanside visitor market,” Leslee Gaul, CEO of Visit Oceanside, said. She added that Oceanside is a family beach sports vacation spot. The Oceanside episode follows the 46-member Hatch clan during their stay in a beachfront vacation rental that sports 10 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, two gourmet kitchens, two hot tubs and oceans views. The Hatches are an actual family who has visited Oceanside on vacation for the past few years. “They really vacationed here,” Gaul said. “It’s a place they want to be at.” The PineRidge Film and Television Company crew followed the Hatches around town as they sailed, kayaked and boogie boarded. The historic 101 Cafe was featured when the family stopped in to order 46 milkshakes and talked to an Oceanside local about his 1932 Ford coupe parked out front. “It’s the best piece I’ve ever seen done on people enjoying what we have (in Oceanside),” John Daley, owner of the 101 Cafe, said. “I’m ecstatic to be a part of it.” A visit to the California
Surf Museum, the Thursday Sunset Market and San Diego Zoo Safari Park are also highlights of the trip. Practical vacation tips are shared, like pre-scheduling which days family members will cook and clean the kitchen. Viewers also see candid moments like the family talent show. Gaul described the show as fun and quirky and said she found the family truly likeable. Oceanside history is woven throughout the episode. The city’s early days, the establishment of Camp Pendleton and the city’s rebuilding after acquiring a reputation as a “rough” town are addressed. “It’s authentic and embraces who we are,” Gaul said. Visit Oceanside and Beach Front Only Vacation Rentals invested $90,000 for Oceanside to be featured in the travel series.” “The Getting Away Together” series plays on PBS stations nationwide. The Oceanside episode has aired in Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Vermont. It is not known when the episode will air locally since each PBS station sets it own playlist schedule.The episode can be seen online a t gettingawaytogether.com/d estination/oceanside-california.
Seminar addresses teen dating ENCINITAS — “What’s Love got to do with it?” a parent forum on teen dating, specifically focusing on healthy and unhealthy teenage relationships; awareness, strategies and resources, is the topic for the next community parent forum from 6:30 to 8 p.m. March 27 in the Media Center at San Dieguito Academy, 800 Santa Fe Drive. Make reservations by e-mailing nancypsheridan@gmail.com. “We have learned from surveying students that this is a topic that kids do not hear enough about from their parents – so teens turn to their peers for support and advise,” said Clarita Thoms-May, a Marriage and Family therapist who will be part of a panel presentation. ThomsMay will be joined by advocate and author Elin Steebins- Waldahl, and
Christina Schmidt, a familyplanning coordinator from North County Health Services. “Trust, respect, communication, friendship and independence are all components of a healthy relationship,” said Schmidt. “The benefits to a healthy relationship are endless – happiness, personal satisfaction, trust, acceptance and having fun just to name a few.” Elin Steebins- Waldahl, author of “Tornado Warnings,” a personal memoir reflecting her own past relationship that turned perilous, will identify warning signals to be aware of in a relationship. The forum, sponsored by the parent foundation at San Dieguito Academy, is free and open to the public. High school students are welcome.