What the what is a Homecoming?!

Well, here we are, another week in Illinois accomplished! I feel like there should be some sort of box I can check off each week I successfully survive living here. Not that it's insufferable, but I wasn't kidding when I said I felt like I was in a different world all together. There are parts of it I am starting to enjoy, like the people and the permanent air conditioning; and parts I don't so much enjoy, like the bugs and humidity. I did get to experience something completely new though. It was a Homecoming.

Now when I think of a homecoming, I think of high school with short dresses and someone being crowned. Oh and floats. Yeah, that's what I think about. Nope, apparently it means something different here. There was a fair, and not a "hey lets look at the pigs and show our horses" kind of fair. Not even a "let's all get high and camp out" kind like some of the ones back home. Nope, it was a carnival games and rides, beer and local band kind. Weird. I don't know but when I got there I had no idea what to expect. First we bought beer tickets and then got to go just get beer. Okay, in Oregon we have beer gardens. PERIOD. Just walking around by the rides and the carnival games holding a beer with small children and high schoolers, yeah that was weird enough, but then we just kind of hung out.

Don't get me wrong, I had a really damned good time. I drank. Bought my first beer coozie (do we even have these in Portland?!). Danced like my mom (no offense mom, it was a blast). I dunno, it was great but weird. One of the guys tried to convince me that they have these everywhere and it wasn't just an Illinois thing. That may be true but let me tell you, we don't have these in EVERY town in Oregon like they tried to tell me. It was a fun experience, I've been told that there are a lot of these and I will likely be at another, but it was a new one.

I think I am going to have a lot of new experience in this new place. Another week in the books.

Still feeling homesick, but I started a countdown on my phone until the day I get to come home and I don't know what it is about it, but it makes me feel a little bit better getting to see that it actually is getting closer and not farther away like it feels. Missing home, starting to settle into this new adventure, and shit, now I know what a Homecoming is.