MSSD student, Vinny Riccobono and teacher, Mary Ellsworth start out on our great adventure. The airport shuttle picked us up from Gallaudet University and after picking up a couple of other passengers, whisked us off to Washington, Dulles International Airport. Vinny gets in line to board the plane. Our plane departed at 6:30pm from Dulles, with an hour stop over in Amsterdam, Holland. We arrived in Helsinki at 2:30pm, a total travel time of 13 hours!
It had seemed like this day would never arrive,
but now here we were ready to take off on a flight across the Atlantic
Ocean to a very far away land. Vinny checks his passport and ticket as
the long line of passengers inches slowly forward.
"I can't look down!" Come on and get on the plane Vinny - it hasn't even left the ground yet!
We stop over in Amsterdam, Holland. The Amsterdam
airport is big and spacious. Vinny grabs a sandwich, feeling as he does
about airplane food! These signs catch our eye.... interesting sentiment,
considering we are heading to a heavily technology-based conference.
The plane ride is uneventful, until...... Mary
hears a voice "Are you from Mississippi??" Finally realizing they are talking
to us, we look over and sitting directly across the aisle is Chuck Drake
and his three students, from Hilton H.S, Hilton, Va!! What a welcomed surprise!
They saw our signing and mistook us for the Mississippi School for the
Deaf. After warm introductions we continue our journey together. This photo
shows us ready for take off from Amsterdam to our final destination,
Helsinki!
This plane is much smaller than the big one
that carried us across the Atlantic. Vinny got a window seat this time.
The takeoff from Amsterdam is spectacular,
as our plane rises swiftly through low lying clouds. From above, the intricately
stacked cumulus clouds look like a
fantastic alien landscape!