A season is a period of the year that usually lasts for several months and is characterized by a particular weather pattern (dry, cold, hot, rainy, snowy, etc.). Seasons are not the same in every part of the world. For example, in the United States, the year is divided into four seasons: winter, spring, summer, and fall, while many countries in Africa, such as Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania, have dry and rainy or wet seasons throughout the year. Even on the continent of Africa, seasons differ from one region to another. For example, the dry season in West Africa runs from November to April, while in Southern Africa, it runs from April to October; the rainy season in Southern Africa is from November to March and runs from April to July and again from September to October in West Africa.

Monica is fourteen. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her parents Jared and Nathalie, and her younger brother Mike. Monica’s favorite season is winter not because she likes the cold weather or the snow, but because of the holiday season that begins with Thanksgiving in late fall. Christmas and New Year are her favorite holidays. A few days before Christmas, Monica and her family decorate their house to make it pretty and ready for the late evening party on December 25th. Monica loves the tradition of sharing presents on Christmas day. She enjoys waking up in the morning and finding wrapped presents under the Christmas tree in the living room. On New Year’s Eve, the family never misses the opportunity to watch the ball drop in Times Square where thousands of people gather to welcome the New Year.

Eméfa is thirteen years old. She is from Togo, a country in West Africa. She lives in Tsévié with her parents Kofi and Amélé. Her favorite time of the year is from late July to early September. She likes this time of the year not only because of the mixture of the rainy and dry seasons, but mostly because it is summer vacation, and she gets to celebrate the harvest holiday of Adzinukuzan. During this holiday, the whole town comes together to celebrate the harvest and thank God and their ancestors who passed down various skills of crop growing to them. People dressed in traditional clothes bring samples of their harvested crop, mostly corn, beans, and rice, and dance to the sound of loud drums locals call Tam Tam. Eméfa loves singing and dancing with her friends until late at night during the celebration of Adzinukuzan.