borders, but also culturally. That was the main idea of this literature train: that literature belongs to the people. And that is why it was organised like it was. That is why the train went to European capitals and other cities. We did readings and discussions at railway stations. There were always lots of people. It was a part of these millennium festivities to celebrate the new millennium, and people were very interested. We believed that a good new millennium was starting, as the previous one was a bit difficult [laughs]. Now we could start a new life. JP: How were you chosen to participate? AK: There were different ways. Germany had the most complicated process. You had to send sample texts...it was different in every country, but in general, the final decision was made by the literary union of each participating country. There was a guideline that they would choose people who were under 40 years old. But most of the authors were old! France sent two writers over 70...I was chosen because I was already so “online”. JP: Were you already writing your blog back then?
AK: No, well actually I did start writing my blog then in English, for that train trip. But it was so difficult and time-consuming that I stopped soon after. And then – that one has disappeared as the platform went under – in 2002 I started my Finnish-language blog that became quite popular. JP: More about this language issue: is it right that there were authors from 40 different countries? How did you communicate? AK: I think there were authors from 45 countries – Turkey included. Norway was the only European country missing. But yes, at least 40 languages. JP: So, did you all speak in English, or how did it work? AK: Well, there were three “official languages” in the train: German, English, French...actually four because Russian was also one. And there was one language, I think Spanish, whose absence caused a bit of a ruckus. Some Spanish authors were complaining; they thought their language ought to be one of these main languages in the train. [laughs] JP: So, did “language cliques” form around these languages?
AK: Yes, mostly it worked like that. And the further the trip went, the further we divided ourselves into these groups. Nordic writers spent a lot of time together. And the Russian were completely isolated because they did not speak other languages. Except for that one Muscovite who was very active in defending all kinds of Russianness. And then, yes, there were these kinds of lonely ones, like one from Malta, who then allied with this or that language group – whichever they spoke best. And this Icelandic writer...ah yes, he had this fancy Nokia machine, with a little keyboard and everything. He used it to write articles and send them to a magazine back in Iceland, it was an incredible new technology at the time. JP: Where was the warmest welcome you received? AK: In Paris, there were lots and lots of people, but I think the most excited were the Germans. The press there had promoted the event a lot. The crowds were huge over there. In Portugal too... the railway stations were always full, but there were also smaller events. I spoke about the internet in the oldest bookshop in Portugal. And we had to speak
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