Our Story
Five years, four adventures, two degrees, and one proposal later... read about Hailey and Kwesi's story below.
Would you like some sugar in your coffee?
On a crisp, spring evening, Hailey (a college junior at the time) entered the Roasting Plant Coffee in Ann Arbor. Disgruntled after a particularly brutal Organic Chemistry exam and desperately in need of some java to recharge, she sauntered into line behind a particularly tall young man. Kwesi, intrigued by the extremely tired-looking patron, attempted striking up conversation with little luck. She was not eager to engage with a stranger, still raking over exam questions in her head. Until, Kwesi approached the counter and offered to pay for his and her drink. Humbled and a little surprised, Hailey thanked the kind stranger and they got to know each other while waiting for their orders. She instantly liked his big, brown eyes and bigger smile. And he appreciated the brain underneath her afro puff. An hour turned into several, a bad night turned into something exciting, and strangers began friends.
 |  |
|---|---|
 |
THIS LONG DISTANCE IS KILLIN' ME
A chance encounter in a coffee shop left Kwesi excited yet apprehensive. His conflicting feelings arose from two key pieces of information she had dropped during their long talk in the back corner of the café. One – she was a junior attending a college an hour drive from him. Two – she was leaving in a month for a summer-long internship in Ghana, five thousand miles away. Five. Thousand. Miles. Yet something in his gut told him to take the chance, and he did.
The month leading up to her departure, the two regularly traversed I-94 to see each other on evenings and weekends, texting daily, walking movies, and bonding over their aspirations and goals. On April 29th, 2018, he surprised his new flame with tickets to a George Ezra concert. Swaying to the music, and singing both in unison and off-key, that night they solidified two key pieces of information. One – Hailey would be his girlfriend. Two – their song would be “Hold My Girl” by George Ezra.
A week later, the night before her flight, Kwesi gifted her with a teddy bear and a heart-shaped necklace. Hailey would bring both to Ghana, naming the bear “Sunday,” in honor of the meaning of Kwesi or “born on a Sunday.” For three months, she traveled around the country, keeping him in the loop of her adventures, frustrations, and accomplishments. He would stay up late on the phone to provide encouragement, send her book recommendations to pass the time, and create playlists for her to listen to on long tro tro rides. When she returned to the United States, she was sitting outside the Coffee Roastery with the freshest Fulani braids. Kwesi pulled her into a bear hug, and took a minute to hold his girl (you know… like their song?)
Anyways, they quickly fell into the cadence of a happy and excited new couple, feeling closer together after being so far apart.
THIS IS US
On date nights, you can find Hailey and Kwesi at some of their local haunts. Visiting contemporary art museums, taking in the local music scene (Hailey once surprised Kwesi with floor seats to see J. Cole, his favorite artist), enjoying food in Detroit or a night at home with their favorite kitty, Mila Mei Miller-Greene-Briscoe.
Throughout their relationship, Hailey and Kwesi quickly bonded over their combined love for travel and the thrill of adventure. Branching out further and further as the strength of their relationship grew.
Hailey and Kwesi viewed some of the masters’ greatest works in the Louvre, partied with the locals, walked along the Siene River in Paris and across the canals in Amsterdam. And where Kwesi popped the question.
To learn more about their proposal, please visit “The Proposal” section of our website.