“Hello, can I have a seat next to the window, but far from the wing?”, – I asked.
“Sure! No problem!”, – a nice lady at Aeroflot’s registration answered me.
When I got on the plane I saw my seat: next to the walkway, on the same line with the wing, in the emergency exit row, with a chair that doesn’t lean back…
“The front row is empty, can I sit there?”, – I asked the flight attending.
“No, no, no, we don’t even sell tickets for these seats. The oxygen bag’s tier is broken and can fall off and hit you in the head!”, – was the response.
“Thank you for choosing Aeroflot”, – a voice came from the speakers.
After three hours in Sheremetyevo airport without Wi-Fi, ability to buy coffee or magazines, since they only accept roubles (yes, in an international terminal of the airport… and there are no currency exchange points), I kind of felt nostalgic about Baku airport. And was even more happy to get on the plane that was going to take me to Berlin – one of the cities I would have in my “visit-while-alive” list… if I had one.
And I wouldn’t be mistaken.
***
What does it mean to be a blogger? Does/Should a blog carry the responsibility traditional journalism does? Should it be censored or “limited in freedom of speech”? These and many other questions were answered today, at the first day of Bloggertour – a get-together of bloggers from around the world, organized by the Foreign Office of Germany. The geography of the participants spreads from Costa-Rica to China. It’s 15 of us – chosen by the German Embassies in our countries.
During our first day we had 4 equally interesting and informative meetings. Morning, or “where-can-I-get-coffee” part of the day has started with Robin Meyer-Lucht’s lecture on German blogs and statistics. The afternoon was about German laws and how they affect or protect bloggers, presented by Jan Mönikes, expert in online law, or how he calls himself – blogging lawyer. After lunch Jens Berger, a political blogger and a jury member at the Deutsche Welle Blog Awards told us more about German blogosphere and political blogging here. The day has finished with Matthias Spielkamp and his presentation on relations between citizen journalism and traditional journalism in Germany.
So, today I’ve learned that:
- One is not allowed by law to offend or criticize the president of Germany in his blog. Not because he’s the best or wants to seem so, but because he doesn’t decide anything. He’s a symbol, just like the flag.
- It is allowed to discuss Holocaust, but one goes to jail for denying it. One will also get detained for 5 years for wearing or in any way carrying swastika or any of the SS attributes.
- “Mein Kampf” is not prohibited to own and keep at home, but can not be sold in Germany.
- It is actually legal to drive or walk absolutely nude.. Unless someone is disturbed, then it becomes a case. A very funny one, apparently.
- Bloggers have all rights the journalists in Germany have: they can join press unions, get the journalist social security and etc., while their articles are protected by copyright law.
- Bloggers also carry the responsibility journalist have and also get sued.
- Baku sells more vodka than Novosibirsk.
- Croatian and Czech people can be surprisingly tall. Very tall.
- Egyptians and Azerbaijanis should live together.
- Uzbeks from Kyrgyzstan understand some Azerbaijani. Or at least Tolkun does.
And, well, should I say how great the crowd is? Oh, I will.
I also will talk about Germany and smoker rights.
Because I’m a blogger.
And we criticize.
To be continued…
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