How did it get so late so soon?

Competitors tie their obi's and get dressed on stage at the Kimono Festival in Hikone.

My roommate all dressed up.

Robert Shelton all dressed up.

The best (and probably most obvious) thing I love about Japan is doing things I'd never get to go at home, like go to a Kimono festival. Sunday, my roommate and seven other JCMU students participated in it. Most just went and got all dressed up by professionals. They all looked beautiful and handsome. Two actually competed. While there are different categories to the competition the basics is the people are on stage, the clock starts, and they are judged on how fast and well they can tie their obi and dress them selves up. I'm so proud of friends who went up on stage and did it in front the crowd. 

This week also begins my less-than-a-month countdown til I'm back in America (25 days to be exact). I have very mixed feelings about this. On the one hand I miss home. I miss my friends, both at school and from Chicago. I miss my family. I miss driving. I miss my cats and dogs. I miss American food. Like a lot. I already told my roommate from Central that we're going to hit up a Mexican food restaurant when I see her, and I'm really hoping my mom picks me up from the airport with a Lou Malnati's deep dish sausage pizza (hint, hint). 

Even though I miss all those things I know when I get back to America there are going to be so many things I miss about Japan. I love the train system here. I travel to a new place just about every weekend here. I actually like not having a cell phone. I love learning a new language. It has been hard but that has just made it that much more rewarding. I'm going to miss the bejesus out of my roommate and all the other great friends I've made here. 

Until then, I'm going to enjoy the time I have left and make the most of it.