Craziness

Sometimes it's just too much. The long hours, the stress. This week was just crazy. I have worked hard and long, and I still cannot say if I've got exactly what I want or not. This upcoming week should not be much different, it will be as crazy as the previous, with synthesis, measurements, and more.

We have witnessed the crooked ways of the American health system this week. The hospital where we are to give birth has invited 75 pregnant couples to a "Meet the Docs" event. 10 doctors sit in front of the invitees and answer questions, trying to hook the costumers. Even though The MRS. and I do not have a choice of hospitals, most people here can choose from different places. The hospitals earn money by the number of people who check in so they try to get as many people to come over to their institutions. It is really different than the system in Israel, since here if you have a good insurance you will be treated like a king and be courted endlessly (where as in Israel you will always be treated like a nag and there will never be an opening for you) but I cannot say that the system here is good.

I've also went to a Tax Session for foreign scholars. The tax system here is really strange. You will have to submit the tax report by yourself - when there is a tax treaty with foreign countries it means you need to fill several forms and send them to different government agencies (federal, state and more) just to tell them "Hey, I don't need to pay anything". And after 2 years my employer will start taking tax out of my paycheck and only in the middle of the following year I can ask for the money back.
They do not have the system where an employer takes the right amount of tax and that's it. Here the employer will usually take more tax than needed, and you HAVE to ask for money back.

Getting used to living here still requires more work!

The MRS. celebrated her birthday this weekend, and I would like to wish her a very happy birthday, may all her wishes come true. I love her.