Franziska Wetzl – That's how she rolls

What makes you laugh?

Franziska Wetzl: Most of all my dog Yuki. I love animals, they always make me laugh. It's like a switch, which is admittedly quite simple: dog catches his own tail – I laugh; dog jumps around his treat like a billy goat and growls – I laugh; dog races along the hallway with enthusiasm – I laugh. That's blunt joie de vivre, it simply infects. And Cat Content – that of course always works as well.

What have you always been wanting to do and why have you never done this so far?

Franziska Wetzl: I'd like to do a backpacking trip alone, on foot and in nature only. I don't need a hip location in East Asia, but a nice route in Europe would be my destination. But right now it is my low physical capacity that stops me. The concern of expecting too much from me. But I'm working on it so that it will be possible at some point.

Which person has influenced you most? And why?

Franziska Wetzl: I'm having a little trouble with that question. I couldn't pick a single one that rises out of my biography like a lighthouse. I would say that there were different people in different phases of my life. First of all there is of course – not surprisingly – my family. After graduating from high school, I spent almost a year with a host family abroad. The cordiality and the insights into a different way of life still connect me with these people today, after more than ten years. My best friend and my partner have left their mark on me over the last few years, and they support me with their advice in every situation.

You have the chance to become the Commissioner for the Disabled. What would you do first?

Franziska Wetzl: I would launch an awareness campaign on disability. In this campaign I would show how diverse disability is. That invisible disabilities exist just as visible ones and all should receive equal attention. In the course of this I would also introduce a corresponding pictogram, which would reflect this fact – similarly as it is developed in Great Britain by visability93. The recognition of disabilities and support are still made far too dependent on their visibility. Both individual visibility and the visibility of people with disabilities in general within society must change.

Franziska Wetzl: That no one is alone with the issue of disability or illness. And that no one has to do that alone with themselves. This is not an individual "problem" that would only concern those affected and that they would have to "solve" it on their own. The environment, the economy, society – simply everyone is in demand. Only if all contribute their part, an environment can develop, in which place is for humans with any kind of impairment – all the same whether on the family celebration, at the job or in public mechanisms. And that is also good news: Anyone can do something!

I would like to be...

Franziska Wetzl: Owner of a "Wishing-Table". I imagine that to be great. It could serve me the tastiest food anytime and anywhere, without having to lift a finger. I would defend that like the squirrel from Ice Age would defend its nut. Hopefully without triggering an ice age.

Which question would you like answered the most?

Franziska Wetzl: Thought big: How we can achieve that people can live well with each other and with animals and the environment, i.e. peacefully, happily and in harmony. And how we can heal diseases. Thought small: What I can do to lead a good, i.e. as healthy, independent and good life as possible. And where I can get a "Wishing-Table" from.

What else I wanted to say...

Franziska Wetzl: That we never have to surrender to our "destiny". No matter what that looks like. There are things that happen that overtax us. We cannot undo them or always prevent them. But we can always choose how we deal with them. We can always decide to become active. And if it's only on a small scale; if it's only in our heads, if we change something. We can always make a difference. In the "big" world, and in our own very small world.