SALUDOS U.S. GOOD MORNING INDIA

Washington D.C, Oct 3:

I sit pinching myself and asking: "Is it true? Did I really spend six months in the United States?" It now seems so surreal.

Time flew fast. It's time to go back. Saludos U.S. Good morning India.

After saying goodbye to South Florida and to my new friends in Sun Sentinel, I flew to a small town called Salina in Kansas, where, guess what, I stayed in a motel owned by a desi. A Gujarati couple run the Americas Best Value Inn in the city of 50,000 people.

I went to Salina to attend the Land Institute's prairie festival from 24th to 27th, before flying to Washington D.C. for our final seminar.

The Land Institute is doing what is a very interesting research in agriculture. In that its scientists are breeding the grain into perennial forms by crossing the annual grains with their wild grass relatives. The prairie festival is their annual event attended by farmers, writers, scientists and all those who care for sustainable agriculture. It was a fruitful trip. I learned a lot.

Then in DC, we shared our experiences with the Alfred Friendly Press Fellowships Board, enjoyed our farewell dinner and prepared to return home.

After spending six very eventful months of this sabbatical here, I return to resume my work, confident. Stories beckon me and I shall try and apply all the good lessons I learned on this program. To be a good writer. A reporter.