The course itself is being paid for by the Finnish Ministry of Education, whereas all other costs are financed by the EU Commission. The actual preparations for the course date back to 1996. The solution was to turn to the already existing EU translators with the offer of learning yet another tongue. During the seven months before the start I presented our Ministry of Education with eleven different plans. I knew it was going to be extremely challenging to work with such highly talented students for such a long time.
Some translation exercises follow.
Mrs Silfverberg's group were absolute beginners in June 1997. By September they had finished the beginner's book and by November the continuation book was also history. Since then I have had to tailor-make the material. Often I get up at six in the morning to video-tape the news on television and write glossaries for the students. We sometimes go to listen to lectures or make visits to factories, institutions, etc.