Now that I have been here for a full year I can say without a doubt that this is the most beautiful time of year in Johannesburg. The rain started falling about a month ago and the whole city is green, lush, and gorgeous. Joburg is absolutely covered in jacaranda trees which in early summer explore in purple flowers and make driving through the city streets such a pleasure. For the last week I have been constantly pulling out my phone to snap photos of tree covered lanes. It doesn’t hurt that jacarandas always remind me of spring at Occidental College, where some of my best memories come from. The purple buds are a most welcome slice of home-away-from-home-away-from-home.