After returning from Ireland in 2008, Tuomas enrolled in evening classes, wanting to improve his English skills. That decision ultimately transformed his entire life.
"I became passionate about studying. It was amazing to read psychology until ten in the evening and discuss ideas. I could have continued those conversations all night."
In a few years, Tuomas earned his high school diploma with top marks while working. Personally he feels his most significant achievement is the high grade he received in basic syllabus Portuguese.
"I was allowed to take Portuguese in the matriculation exam, even though I hadn’t officially studied it but learned it on my own."
Ultimately, languages as well as religious and ethical studies completely captivated him, leading him to apply to the University of Helsinki to study English. Tuomas had just started in a customer service position at an energy company when he heard he had been accepted.
"I was 34, about fifteen years older than the others and also a man, so I felt completely out of place. But that wasn’t an unfamiliar feeling for me," he smiles.
Motivation carried him through, and Tuomas eventually completed his master’s degree in English in four years. He also studied Portuguese, psychology, religion, philosophy, and ethics as minor subjects. In English, as in language studies in general, the career paths were teaching, translation, or research. Tuomas decided to specialize in teaching. His favorite teacher in evening school had been his English teacher, who became a role model for his own career.
Tuomas also had different types of experiences with teachers. Once in a university Portuguese class, the teacher asked if the students had woken up gay that morning. The absurdity of the question made Tuomas laugh, but it also pointed to a bigger problem.
"The teacher didn’t intend to ask about our sexual orientation but used a word that meant something completely different in European Portuguese than in South American Portuguese. Her cultural knowledge wasn’t very good."
Tuomas points out that European and South American Portuguese are like Finnish and Estonian; they have practically diverged into separate languages.
"Anyone working with languages should understand such cultural differences and consider them to avoid misunderstandings."
As an interpreter, Tuomas emphasizes the importance of keeping his own cultural knowledge up to date. This means staying informed and continually developing himself.