Feeling at Home; Connecting for Life

How can I summarize the value of a year on OTZMA?
Do I start with the beauty of the country, the vibrant people, the history, culture, or incredible food?

Do I share grand stories of hiking the desert, swimming in the Mediterranean or camping in the Galilee?

Should I count the number of live, open air concerts I went to of big name Israeli artists with thousands of people in attendance?

Should I talk about the daily love that happens on volunteer sites with children of all ages, and adults that you come to admire as the most heroic you've ever met?

Do I tell about growing my Hebrew abilities and connecting with local families and professionals?

Do I tell about the street performers, artists' colonies, student activist groups, or community song sessions?

And, perhaps above all, how can I tell about all that, while also remembering the shared experiences of 40 OTZMA XXI friends that will last a lifetime?

I don't know where to start, but I know where to end: feeling at home in Israel with unique connections that have carried me farther than I ever dreamed!