My trip to the East has brought me great rewards, just like the fortune cookie predicted. I have tried to count my blessings but they were too much to number, so I have stopped.

I’m heading back right now to the Midwest. My flight was cancelled this morning due to the fog that had settled all over the Washington DC area. It was rescheduled to the afternoon, and I’m here once again reading faces and counting time. I hope there is someone waiting for me at St. Louis when I get there. They must have waited too long for me to get in touch with them. All that time, I was here agitated and wondering how to get access to the Airport internet. I have now succeeded, after some payment. I hope the email I just sent to my University has been delivered, and is seen on time.

There’s so much to tell you about the East Coast. I will begin as soon as I find the time to. I am grateful for good times: The Fulbright Organization, The State Department, my fellow FLTAs from Nigeria (Mohammed, Folake, Morakinyo, Shade, Omar, Zainab, Clement and Nanchin), my new and old friends (Diana, Tulika, Maha, Hilal, Osama among many others), my host for the night – the Nigerian writer Ikhide Ikheloa (and his family), and all the other new people I was meeting face-to-face for the first time: Bumight, Vera, Sweet&Sour and Chinny. There was also Tyrone at the hotel parking lot who was very nice. I will remember Maryland, DC, and this experience, because of them.

Till later.