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Interviewer: How long have you been writing the Torvi columns?
ETJ: The first one appeared in July 1986. I believe Aarne Aaltonen was owner and editor. Amerikan Uutiset was in one of its financial problem periods. I sent first a letter to the editor. I may have it somewhere, a response to some other younger person who wrote a letter. The average age of the readers must be over 60. The first column was called Maallista mammoonaa. Aarne then published all I sent. I got to know some of the staff through faxes and e mails. I have never been paid, except a gift t shirt and a gift of a small check from Aarne for my first child.
Interviewer: So you wrote these columns, eventually one a week. Why?
ETJ: At the time there was no internet. I wished to be able to express myself in Finnish. Even today I find it rewarding to write in Finnish. I write in English for work reports and such. Finnish is reserved for fun. I find I speak better if I write more. I had a small audience, with my mom being the biggest fan from 86-91. She would comment on the columns. But, honestly, I wrote for rather personal selfish reasons. It did help me identify my own status and position as an immigrant. There were other Finnish-Americans out there, and I had some contact with them from 83-96. Not much anymore in person. But a little. Some new net friends.
Interviewer: You no longer write as many print columns. Maybe 4-6 a year.
ETJ: I write quite a bit still in Finnish. A lot of it appeared in the Njet internet forum. When I had a topic I thought would interest the newpaper readers, I would rewrite a version for them.
Interviewer: Problem areas to discuss in print?
ETJ: Ethical, moral and religious areas I avoided. I might bring them up in a humorous context at best. I am not religious but do not want to offend the old timers. I may do that on message boards, but that is a more interactive medium. The ONE topic I have learned to avoid is cars in Finland. Those columns got some feedback. I even drew pictures of cars a few times. A steamed reader claimed I know nothing of cars in Finland and probably have never been to Finland.
Interviewer: You use the nimimerkki Tero, why?
ETJ: It is my middle name. I use it a lot on the net as well. I knew I did not want too much trouble from the columns, as many were very opinionated. I was correct in hiding behind the pen name, as one reader somehow did get a letter to me through the office. I responded and put some kind of address on the envelope. Finally she called me up and talked at length. It became clear toward the end she was determined to convert me to a good Christian. She lived in Northern Michigan, I in Ohio, so it was mainly through the mail. Her daughter, with her help, had some deeply religious experience. Speaking in tongues and fainting.
Interviewer: OK, enough about that. How is life?
ETJ: Life is OK, but I am getting a little uncomfortable in my adopted country. The politics these days.
Interviewer: Mr. Bush?
ETJ: Yes, I believe he is on a mission to bankrupt all national welfare systems, including social security. In addition, I have through the past 5 years been reminded what politics are. I had learned this already in the Reagan years.
Interviewer: And, what is politics?
ETJ: Politics is not the search for any truths or any best solution to social or economic problems. It is simply a way to wield power. The politicians then try to justify their decision on some philosophical or moral basis. But all that is just hand waving. I am never on the side of the big guy, either in government or business. I wish all the mom and pop businesses all the best luck. Amerikan Uutiset, on and off, has been one of these.
Interviewer: You have two kids, where do you see them settling?
ETJ: Here I guess. Three of my family are born in America. My kids will at least go to college here. After that, I may have some personal options. It would be fun to live in Finland for a year. I would have to figure out some part time work.
Interviewer: You have few relatives there.
ETJ: Only two close ones, an aunt who is 80 and a cousin in Tampere who just turned 60. My kids have no cousins to play with over there, nobody their age.
Interviewer: Why did you want to do this interview in English?
ETJ: Why not? I have tried writing some humorous stuff in English too. It disappeared off the internet for a while, but they are the Life in America bits at this address: http://esatero.blogspot.com/2006_02_01_archive.html
Interviewer: You are comfortable in English?
ETJ: Sure, no real problems. But I have no personal style, no voice, in English. Those little bits are in a style borrowed from the Onion satirical magazine.
Interviewer: where would you like to live besides that year in Finland?
ETJ: Wisconsin.
Interviewer: Thanks for your thoughts. Not that we asked for them, but thanks anyway.
Copyright E. Tero Järvi 2005.
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