I'm very grateful for.....

• Nissim's help with the apartment.  It's been great staying in his brother's apartment.
• an amazing sense of personal security.  That's what it's like in a society where women, the elderly and children are truly valued.
• not needing to use my health insurance
• getting to run in a 5K
• the Moovit app - it allowed me to go places with confidence that I never could have done with a map and compass, like downtown Tel Aviv.
• the university's help and sponsorship in renewing my visa
• the out-of-town buses stopping right by my apartment on the return to Beer Sheva.  It was nice after returning from Jerusalem, etc. to just get home.  And on those nights that I returned late (when the local buses have stopped running in Beer Sheva), it was especially wonderful.
• being able to bring a smile to about one in three bus drivers when I had the exact fare and they didn't have to make change.  It's amazing what little things like that can bring a little joy.
• my luggage scale.  I'm afraid that preparing my suitcases is too close to the 50 lb limit to guess.  Of course the Ph.D. in me is weighing them after each addition of stuff. But I don't want surprises of that type at the airport.  I'm already paying for an extra suitcase - I don't want to pay for overweight bags, too.
• the chance to have an extended visit in Israel, and be useful in unexpected ways.