I am an American freelance journalist and have been living in Venice since 1994, married to a wonderful Venetian man. He taught me how to row in the Venetian way (like the gondoliers, standing up facing forward) and we go out in our own little typical Venetian boat all year long. I've also learned to shop according to the seasons and to prepare many traditional Venetian dishes, some of which have disappeared from day-to-day life. I speak the local dialect, and love to read Venetian history of all topics and centuries. I have written about exceptional Venetian artisans (masks, lace, gondolas, shoes, hand-beaten gold leaf) for Craftsmanship online magazine. I wrote the National Geographic guidebook to Venice, and since 2009 have been writing a blog about real life in an unreal city. I belong to an association called Arzana' dedicated to the conservation of traditional Venetian boats; it's not all serious work -- we and our boats often get called on as extras in films shot in Venice. I have occasionally collaborated as local fixer and interpreter for several documentaries about the city. Venice is complicated, demanding, inconvenient, but also fascinating, surprising, and never dull. Sometimes people ask me why I live here. I don't understand why everybody doesn't live here.