麻豆社

Rosie Benn sets off on an epic adventure through five European capitals. As a young deaf woman who uses sign language, Rosie is keen to explore deaf culture in other countries. What is life like for the local deaf community and what are the highlights for deaf travellers seeking out a short city break?

If you are looking for clean air and summer days that seem to go on forever, then there is probably no better place than Helsinki. With 18 hours of daylight, Rosie has plenty of time to see the sights, including the impressive architecture of the Central railway station and the Kauppatori food market, with its reindeer burgers, freshly caught fish and wild berries.

Rosie meets Gavin Lilley, a British deaf man who moved to the country after falling in love with a Finnish woman. He explains that life in Finland is very good for deaf people, with easy access to interpreters and a decent education system. To experience the beautiful countryside surrounding Helsinki, they visit the island of Kaskerta, a treasure trove of Finnish deaf culture. Run by deaf people, the island has a series of log cabins available to hire and a lake with a private beach. This is a place to get away from the hustle bustle of the city. After a run through the woods, Rosie relaxes in a Finnish sauna before plunging into the lake.