FNN Takes Dallas: Day 1
DAY 1, NOVEMBER 16, 2017
Today I flew for the first time ever from Washington, D.C. to Dallas, Texas to attend the JEA Fall Journalism Convention. I woke up at about 5:30 am to make sure I had everything packed and then got my carry on backpack together. I went to school just like I would on any other day, got my work from my teachers, and waited for everyone to arrive so I could meet the others who were going while we waited to leave. Today was my first time meeting Jayland, Ariana, and Katherine. They were all cool people. We caught the metro to the airport and arrived about two hours before take off. We ate and charged our phones while we waited to board. I also met Ms.Kaufman in person for the first time which was nice because now I can finally match a name with a face. After I told Ms. Kaufman, this was my first flight, she offered to switch her window seat with me so I could look out the window. When it was time to board the plane a wave of excitement and nervousness came over me. I was pumped up for my first flight but was nervous because I didn't want the worst to happen. The flight attendant went over the plane’s protocol. Then it was time for the real thing, the takeoff. The plane began to go down the runway, then sped like a car going really fast down a highway and took off which felt like going up on a rollercoaster. After takeoff, the plane was a smooth ride. A couple hours later we got settled in the hotel and went to Cafe Herrera for dinner. We went sightseeing after our meal. Something I loved about the part of Dallas we were in was the architecture of the building and the scenery around our hotel. The trees are decorated with Christmas lights and the buildings have colorful LED lights that are so beautiful in the night sky. After we enjoyed the scenery, we came back to the hotel to change into our swimwear and head to the pool. The hotel’s infinity pool is to die for! The waterfall on the side of the pool and colorful lights surrounding it was amazing. I met some other kids from the JEA Convention while swimming and enjoyed their company. We warmed up beside the poolside fire, then headed back up to our rooms. About an hour after getting ourselves together, we went on a late night 7-11 run which was much appreciated because I was craving something small and quick to eat. When we got back to the hotel, it was almost midnight and I was completely beat. My night ended with grandma cookies, water, and Snapchat until I fell asleep. Overall my first day in Dallas was nice, I look forward to the other two days we'll spend here. -Kiani Bell
My first day in Texas was a breeze. We traveled on an American Airlines plane. It was a long three-hour bumpy flight but it was also fun. It was actually my first time flying on a plane. We finally arrived around 3:00. We got off the plane with Ms. Kaufman who we met back in DC before the flight. We called a Lyft to come to the Omni Hotel. We arrived in about 20 minutes. We spent like two hours chilling in the hotel before we grabbed something to eat at this Mexican-based restaurant. It was a place where sat outside on sort of a rooftop. When we finished eating, we came back to the hotel and went to the pool. We had fun at the pool even though I wasn’t swimming because I didn’t bring any swimwear. Then we all went into our rooms and went to sleep. -Jayland Fowlkes
Today is the day of the flight. I woke up around 5:30 to get ready. My mom gave me a ride to school where I meet up with the crew. We caught the train to the airport and got on the plane. It was a two-hour trip to Texas and smoother than I thought it would be. When we were at the airport I got stopped at the gate because they couldn’t tell what my PS4 was. Not long after that Ariana got stopped too. She got stopped because her oil was over 3oz. When we landed in Dallas and got out of the airport, I took Tsion’s little purple cowboy hat and I called myself a sexy cowboy the whole time we were waiting for our ride. When we arrived at the Omni Hotel, we went to our rooms and unpacked our bags. Then we ate dinner, took pictures and played. It was fun and I really enjoyed myself. Right after dinner, we went to the pool. At the pool, there were at least 50 people in the water. When I got to the pool I set some goals. One of my goals was to get Flo, Tsion and Kiani’s hair wet. It didn’t take me long to complete my goal. I picked Flo up in the water and she was so scared her face was priceless. Around 9:45 we all got out and sat around the fire. Later that night me, Jay, Kiani, Tsion, Ariana and Big Frost went to the 7/11 to get some sacks and end our first night in Texas. - Michael Williams
Today is the day my program, FNN took me to Dallas, Texas for a JEA (Journalism Education Association Convention). I met Ms.Kaufman and Katherine Hunter for the first time. Katherine came to my teacher’s room to meet the other students before we went to the metro train. We rode on two trains to get to Ronald Reagan Airport. We got to the airport and went through security where I had to throw away some of my lotions. We waited for a while for the plane. Then we boarded our flight. I was nervous about flying, but I got over it. We landed in Dallas,Texas and I was shocked because of the weather. It was breezy but not hot. We took a Lyft to the Omni Hotel. It was a very nice hotel and they had a good quality of service. We got our rooms and I shared a room with Kiani and Katherine. After we got settled, we went to eat at a Mexican restaurant and did some sightseeing. Then, we went to the hotel room to put on our swimsuits, but I did not get in the pool the first night, but the other students had fun with the students from the other schools in different states such as New Jersey and some was even from Dallas. - Ariana Lucas
Today was my first flight ever. I flew from Washington DC to Dallas, Texas for three excruciating hours. After our arrival, we checked into the Omni hotel and saw our rooms. They had two TV’s, one in the actual room and one in the bathroom. There was a coffee machine, refrigerator, a luxurious view, and two of the softest beds in the world. The one thing I didn't like is how interactive the room is with the hotel key card. You have to use it to unlock the door and keep the lights on. After experiencing what luxury looks like, we ate at a restaurant across the street called “Cafe Herrara” and began exploring the area. We saw a Christmas ornament sculpture, went inside the Reunion Center, hung out in front of a fountain and learned a homeless man's story. He was a Vietnam veteran and was homeless for nine years. This caused me to think about how we treat our veterans in this country and ways we can support them. Then we went back to our hotel rooms and changed to go to the pool. I hopped into the pool with Kiani, Ms. Merritt and Michael. I was worried about getting my hair wet along with Ms. Merritt and Kiani because I had put so much work into it that morning, but sadly everyone’s hair got drenched. We got out the pool to dry off and sit in front of the bonfire to warm up. I then left to take care of my wet hair situation. I put the hotel conditioner in my hair as a leave-in along with aloe vera gel and Kiani’s shea butter. Two hours later we concluded our day with a quick, late-night trip to 7-11. - Tsion Cummings
