31 Comments
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Annie Griffiths's avatar

This is one of the most beautiful essays I have ever read. Thank you.

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Adaeze Elechi's avatar

Thank you so much! And thank you for reading

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Marnie Summerfield Smith's avatar

Utterly magnificent writing. I won't forget this piece. Thank you, Adaeze.

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Adaeze Elechi's avatar

Thank you for reading!

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Susan Ritz's avatar

My heart is bursting with the beauty of this essay

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Adaeze Elechi's avatar

🧡

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Natasha Williams's avatar

What a beautiful piece and this quote so lyrical and quietly defiant. "I had to bend my tongue and melt my harsh Nigerian accent to sound like the boys and girls from Europe and America. I became an ironsmith, liquifying and recasting my accent into something rounder, into what I was learning was prettier."

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Adaeze Elechi's avatar

Thank you, and thanks for reading!

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Tim Ballard's avatar

Two interesting things I learned: what olie bollen are and that Guinness is popular in Nigeria.

What I didn't learn? That you're a fantastic writer and a wise soul - I already knew that!

Thank you for sharing this personal story! This was beautifully crafted, and gave me perspective on your unique experience. Looking forward to more of your work.

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Adaeze Elechi's avatar

And oliebollen are delicious! If you find yourself in Holland definitely get some. They probably go well with Guinness 😍

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Adaeze Elechi's avatar

Thank you so much for your kind words, Tim! And thank you for reading! 🙏🏾😊

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Jeffrey Gibbs's avatar

Such lovely writing, and I love especially this paragraph: "I was a cloud watcher. Even before I entered the sky for the first time, I watched it from the ground, traced its many changing faces, and counted the things it brought and took away. Seasons, birds, clouds wrapped in electricity, and a dull but very present longing to grasp onto what would always be fleeting, what was never meant to stay."

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Adaeze Elechi's avatar

Thank you so much! and thanks for reading 🙏🏾

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Mariam Sule's avatar

Up again to say this is one of the most stunning pieces I have ever read. I love how it’s told so simply yet you feel the urgency of its message and know yes, I needed to see this. I felt my heart ache reading this. It was the last thing I did yesterday because I couldn’t pay attention to anything else after reading this. I want to read more from Adaeze Elechi. Again, stunning! Well done.

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Adaeze Elechi's avatar

Thank you so much for these kind words. I’m happy it resonated with you. Thank you for reading!

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Lailani Mendoza-Lai's avatar

Such a beautifully written prose. Being a member of the global diaspora, I can relate to many of her sentiments. Yet the way she expressed them were so poetic and nuanced.

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Adaeze Elechi's avatar

Thank you!

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Jennifer (Jenni) Gordon's avatar

What a lovely, poetic and revealing piece.

I love the boys leaping into the sky. The way you tell it makes the act seem utterly reasonable--the quintessential manifestation of freedom, and revolt against all that encloses.

Could you tell me where this piece was originally published? Thank you, and thank you for your work.

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Sari Botton's avatar

This is the original publication of the piece. So glad you enjoyed it!

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Jennifer (Jenni) Gordon's avatar

Thank you!

I am only just getting acquainted with Substack, and was a bit confused as to how yours worked. (I have subscribed and will continue to read.)

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Adaeze Elechi's avatar

Thank you so much for reading and for your kind words! 🙏🏾

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amara's avatar

Heart strings pulling here and there. For the 10 minutes or so I spent quietly traveling through and past these words, I lived in Holland, too. Absolutely fantastic!

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Adaeze Elechi's avatar

Thank you! And thanks for reading 🙏🏾

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Vanessa Schuh's avatar

Visceral and profound and gutting. Every moment was so beautiful

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Adaeze Elechi's avatar

Thank you for reading, V!! 💕💕

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Kate MacVean's avatar

Amazing. Thank you.

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Adaeze Elechi's avatar

Thank you for reading! 🙏🏾

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Obinna's avatar

Beautifully written, Adaeze. Bravo!!

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Adaeze Elechi's avatar

Thank you, Obi! ❤️❤️❤️

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Simone Senisin's avatar

What a beautifully crafted piece of writing. At once, eager to keep reading your story, and all the while, seeing how it speaks to our humanity — at our point of need. Thank you for sharing.🙏

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Adaeze Elechi's avatar

Thank you for reading 🙏🏾

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