Humansof Prague: what’s your story?

You’ve certainly heard of Humansof New York, a collection of stories of people from the city, gathered randomly on the streets. It usually starts with a question: ,,May I take a picture of you?” and it can lead to a depth of people’s souls. In Prague we have our humans too…but I was particularly interested in one. The author, who is never seen on the photographs or talks about himself: Tomáš Princ. 

What will decide if you approch the person or not? 

On a busy street I pick someone who is visually appealing. But most of the times I approach someone sitting alone on the bench because it’s more likely that they would have time to talk.

What is their most common reaction?

Often they say ,,better not” and walk away, or they do not even look at me. In parks I’m more successful. They notice me at least and if they don’t want to talk to me, they decline in a polite way.

Does it happen that people are rude or aggresive? 

Rarely. Over the three years and thousands of encounters it has happened probably only twice. I try to explain to them why I do it – not because they look weird. But sometimes they said: ,,fuck off”.

It’s probably not a very nice feeling to be rejected many times a day…

I don’t take it personally. People have reasons to behave like that.  Maybe they have some problems in their lives or are in a hurry. I do not see inside their heads. So I better ask someone else, it’s simple.

 

When you go to the city to take pictures of people, how successful you usually are? 

On a busy street where people are constantly stopped and offered something, they often do not even listen what I say to them. About 70% of people reject. But in parks more than a half agrees.

Humansof Prague is about men, women, old people, young…Are some groups of people more difficult to talk to? 

It doesn’t work so well with businessmen for example. When I approach them near offices where they work, it rarely results in something interesting.

Often you talk to people in the last phase of their lives. Do you find any recurring thought in their stories? 

Old people usually talk about their past. Over the years I’ve also realized how many old people face solitude.

You also talk with homeless people. Do their stories have something in common? 
Homeless people are often pigeonholed. In reality each story about why people lost home is completely different.

The talks with people are often on a very peronal note. How do you achieve that within a couple-of-minute talk? 

I try to fully focus on the people I talk to. If they are open, I listen to them, look for something special in their lives, and ask for details.

Do you recall any recent story, which has particularly touched you?

There was a young boy who was abused by his dad when he was a child. He talked very openly about what it had felt like and how it’s been affecting his life. We’ve met a couple of times and maybe that’s also why it was more intense than others.
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What do you personally get from talking to people? 

It brings together my hobbies: walking and photopraphy. Even before I used to go to the city to take pictures. And although I’m an introvert, I’ve always enjoyed talking to, and meeting, people.

For an introvert, isn’t it demanding to daily talk to strangers? 

Some days I don’t feel like doing it but I always challenge myself. Ten years ago I would not have probably been able to do it. Since then I’ve met many different people and gained more experience. After graduation I went to South Korea to teach English or to Kenya where I communciated with people in slums. Once I was back, Humansof Prague seemed like a great idea. And after three years of doing it, it truly isn’t that hard to talk to people on the street.

You hear different ideas, points of views…have any inspired you in your life?

What I get is the positive energy. And when I’m in some situation I remember for example that other people have also experienced it and I think about how they solved it. But I cannot say that it would have too big an impact on me. I started with Humansof Prague when I was 28 and that’s the age when you already have many things sorted. More than a life guidance I look for diversity of people.

Popularity of blogs of all different topics has been increasing. How do you feel like a blogger? 

Bloggers usually publicly share their lives and opinions and others can get inspired by it. My blog is different because I do not talk about myself but about others.

Bloggers are able to influence lives of many people. Your influence with a hundred thousand followers is also relevant. 

People usually follow some blogger because they can identify with them. My blog is about diversity of people and every opinion is different. People start to follow Humansof Prague because they identify with some story but next day they find a story where the person has a completely different point of view from theirs. That’s why followers of Humansof Prague must be open to difference.

For many bloggers blogging is a job. What about you? 

The first seven months it was only a hobby. In spring 2014 a Czech national newspaper (Hospodářské noviny) became a sponsor. They support me and I can devote to the blog three days a week without a need of advertisement.

Are companies interested in cooperation? 

Some companies were interested but I declined. People like Humansof Prague for its content. However, the cooperation would bring benefit to me but not to the blog. I’m grateful for the support of the newspaper because they do not comment on the content.

This year you’ve become a Blogger of the year and you’ve got support to make a printed version of the blog. Are you interested?  

Very much. At the moment I’m talking to various publishing houses and I hope it will work out.

Blog is an online medium. Do you think that it can work also as a book? 

In social media people can comment on it and it makes sense it is online in the first place. However, it has its potential as a book too. The basis is a photo and a story and this can work also in print. It will be also a honour for me to see the result of my three-year work in one piece.

Is there an additional value for readers? 

Not everyone has access to the blog online so in this way I can reach a new fan group. There are also more than a thousand of stories and the interesting ones are slowly disappearing in the amount. For the book I would choose only the most attractive ones.

A current phenomenon is that the content is born first online and only later as a book. Does it mean that internet is more successfull in reaching people?

It definitely is a good platform. But it reaches only a specific group whereas others still go for books. It’s a question of generation. The most important, after all, is the quality of content, no matter if it’s online or published.

 

Humansof Prague is a Czech version of Humansof New York. Is there any difference between them? 

Humansof – projects are all over the world but each author is different and so is each encounter with people. The form of a story with a photo can be used in many ways. Some are more focused on photography, mine for example on stories. When I go through my archive, I see big changes over time. As I’m getting more experienced in talking to people, stories get more in depth.

One of the questions you ask people is: what have you been thinking of lately? What about you? 

I focus more on work these days. I try to be critical to myself. Otherwise…I don’t even know. When I talk to people, they either talk about their work or they get more emotional and contemplate about their lives. But I’m probably not at a “philosophical”stage right now.

Tomáš Princ’s Humansof Prague 

Robert Fulghum: “I feel like 40”

He lives in the USA and part of the year in Crete but he’s slowly becoming a Czech. After his massive summer tour through 40 Czech cities he knows the Czech Republic better than many natives. ,,If Trump becomes a president, I’ll move here” says Robert Fulghum, who still has many plans in life. He feels like 40 years old and apart from writing he wants to try also shoe making.

I know that you like the Czech Republic but after intense travelling throughout the whole country, aren’t you a bit fed up with us?

No way! You know, the kind of writing I give is about people and that’s why I wanted to travel through the whole Czech Republic, not only Prague, and I wanted to talk to them. Everyone has a story. Such kind of story you’ve heard from your dad or granddad millions of times. Everyone has it and I want to hear them. Meeting readers gives me as much as what I give. It’s fuel of my life and I’m very grateful that although my body is around already for 80 years, I’m still able to do it.

You turned 79 only recently and you already talk about yourself as about 80-years-old?

That’s funny. When you ask a 4-year-old, he says that he’s 4 and a half. So OK. I’m 79 and 2 months but I feel like 40.

You’ve visited the Czech Republic for the 10^th time but this time you’ve been to places not even many Czech people have ever visited. What new have you learnt about us?

I didn’t know what a beautiful landscape here was. I’ve visited places which I wouldn’t as a tourist but in every single one I’ve found something interesting.

Are you taking home any interesting story from the tour?

From every single city I’ve got one. I was strongly moved by moments in which I’d a feeling as if I’d already met the people before. There was for example a man who asked me to sign a book for Lenka. That’s his mum who likes to read my books. Then he realized that I had no idea who Lenka was, we saw each other for the first time in our lives. Some kind of connection has been between us for years, though. That’s why I went for the tour, after all: not so that readers saw me, but I wanted to see them. Each reading I took a picture of them and when I write my next book, I’ll look at the photos and I’ll know who I’m writing for.

So you get on well with Czechs?

I’ve been to Austria, Poland or Hungary but I do not feel the same there. I can’t really tell why but I simply feel well here. You’re very friendly. I remember one of the very first press conferences in the Czech Republic. Journalists had read my story about tree climbing and they wanted to interview me sitting on branches. I was fascinated: they were willing to climb trees to talk to me! That was the moment when I learnt that Czechs and I would be good friends….

… and that’s also why Czechs have a privilege to have rights to your books? If American publishers want to publish one of your last books, they have to ask for permission a Czech publisher.

The Czech publishing house is like my family, we’re good friends. When you ask me how many friends I have in publishing houses in New York, I will say: none. Book publishing is a big business over there. Publishers probably do not even read books, it’s about money and I feel like a machine to produce books to make them profit. I miss a human side in it, which I find here in the Czech Republic. But don’t you think that it’s not about money at all. I’ve got a special contract with the Czech publisher that they’ve got rights to my books for 1 Czech crown. Now I want a new contract. I want 3 crowns (he laughs).

You visited the Czech Republic for the first time in 1989. How has it changed since?

You were walking in this way: he crouches a bit and makes blinkers from hands around his eyes. You were closed and afraid to say something, as if there was still a worry “Russians can come back at any time”. Since then you’ve opened to the world. When I asked during the tour how many people spoke English, almost everyone raised his hand. You’ve become citizens of the world. But you are still able to keep your culture and you remember history. You have rich history, which we are unfortunately lacking.

What is happening right now in the USA will without doubt go down in history. What do you think about presidential elections?

It’s like start of fascism. Trump has lots in common with Mussolini. People think that they need a dictator who would take charge and solve everything but that’s not how it works. Americans do not know how fragile democracy is in the way you do.

Debates about the elections turn mainly around Donald Trump and what a failure it would be if he won, but would Hillary Clinton be any bingo?

The best president would be Michelle Obama, a black woman (he laughs). There was a lot of slander about Hillary. Republicans made an evil woman out of here. But I believe she would be a good president. If Trump wins, I’ll move to the Czech Republic.

You know, we tend to think that elsewhere it’s always better than at home but believe me that here we have our issues too…

You’re right. It’s complicated everywhere and it always will. But despite all the tragedies happening in the world today, I don’t think it is worse than before. I’m not a pessimist or optimist but as a realist I think that there’s as much bad as good. We only hear about the bad more often. We read in the paper that ten people were shot somewhere, not that no one killed anybody today. And I truly hope that there are days like these too.

You learned all you need to know in kindergarten but what have taught you 80 years of life?

To be generous. I’ve never regretted when I gave something but I did when I didn’t. It’s not about money but about little things. With a band The Rock Bottom Remainders we raised money for charities but we also hoped that our music would make someone happy. I play the guitar and mandocello and hopefully I don’t do any harm to anybody by my playing. That’s what I actually try to do in my life. To live in a way so that I didn’t make any harm. There are days when I say to myself: ,,Well, you could have done better today, Robert.” But when I go to the bathroom in the evening and I can look into the mirror and do: he raises thumb up and winks, it was a good day.

Can fame change you when you become famous after 50 years of age?

I’ve never strived to be rich or famous, not even to become a writer. I’ve been writing for my whole life. It happened only by coincidence that my writing jumped from a drawer into the world after I was 50. At that age you already know your values and what is important and that’s why I do not think that fame would change me a lot. I’ve got the same friends, the same car for fifteen years simply because I like it. I should put a note on the window: steal it please so that I can finally buy a new one!

How did your family accept it?

It was difficult for my children. They didn’t understand why someone would be interested in what I think. I am their dad, they know how angry or even unfair I can be sometimes so maybe they think that it’s not fair and I understand it. But I think we’ve already managed that and we’ve a nice relationship now. I’ve got my role of Captain Kindergarten but I’m also a normal granddad and my grandchildren do not even consider me as a famous writer. For one granddaughter I’m a bank robber.

Well, taking into consideration what all you’ve done throughout your life, it wouldn’t be a big surprise…

She was about 7 years old and asked me what I do for living. I replied that I’m a bank robber and she run to her mum and cried: ,,Mommyyyy, grandad says that he robs banks!!” And for her I’ve been a bank robber since, no matter she is 18 years old now.

When I make a box for the interview about yourself, it will be a tough job. Writer, philosopher, painter, pastor, cowboy…Shall I write also a bank robber?

You can write that I’m a person who is not able to keep his job. When adults ask kids what they would like to do when they grow up, they expect one single answer: a lawyer, for example. They wouldn’t be very pleased if the kids said ,,I want to try many different things.” And many people do the whole life ,,what is expected that they are” and they can’t wait to retire to be able to do what they truly want. I’ve never wanted to be in this situation. I’m too curious and life offers too much to do only one thing.

What job brings you the best memories?

When I was 17 years old I wanted to be a cowboy. And I truly was. Here is the proof: he shows a bent finger. I’ve got many happy memories. And how many beautiful girlfriends I used to have at that time! You can be a cowboy only when you are 17 but not at 80 and that’s why I later had to try something different again.

In your books you write about “closed doors”. What doors would you still like to open in your life?

I want to learn to make shoes. Shoes for men in shops are incredibly boring, only black and brown. And I would also like to learn to make paper, so that one day I can make a book which would be my masterpiece in every single detail.

Is behind that closed door maybe also a new woman?

Now I’m single again. Alone, not lonely though. But I will keep the door open. You never know what life has in store for you and when you are 40, you still have lots of time.

Before you get busy again, what will you do when you are back home after this crazy Czech tour?

I will sleep. I can’t wait!

Don’t worry, Robert does not speak this horrible English, it is translated from Czech from an interview published on August 6, 2016 in a newspaper Lidove noviny 

About my meet up with Robert you can read here. 

Nice to meet you, Robert Fulghum

Robert Fulghum is American, partly lives in Crete but is slowly becoming a Czech. After his massive summer tour through almost 40 Czech cities he knows the Czech Republic better than many natives, including myself. Once I learnt my favourite author would be here, the mission was obvious: to interview him. And I have: Interview with Robert Fulghum

Meeting Robert Part  I

My first encounter with Robert Fulghum happened when I was probably 4 years-old. You might ask how this is possible when I wasn’t able to read at that time. I  wasn’t but I was fascinated by his books even back then. I used to like not reading books but “playing” with them, for their colourful covers and different pictures. Fulghum’s belonged to my favourite ones in my parents’ library because they were small, thin with colourful shaky letters on the cover. They looked fun.

When I was old enough, I learnt that they are also fun to read. I think that Robert Fulghum has become my favourite writer because I felt a certain connection with him. I pay attention to little details in everyday life (I like to take pictures), I am interested in people and their stories (I am a journalist, after all) and Robert seems to fancy the same. I am particularly into love stories because I consider love as one of the craziest and most beautiful things ever and even the most unbelievable stories are based on reality after all, and when I meet a couple, I am always eager to hear how they met. Robert collected such stories from his readers and the public in his book True Love. I am a passionate tango dancer and so is Robert, as shows his book Hold Me Tight, Love Me Slow. He’s the most famous for an essay collection All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten but he’s gained my heart with a less known three-volume novel Third Wish, which belongs to Top 10 on my reading list. It is considered a kind of autobiography of his and it simply tells me: I must have something in common with this guy.

Meeting Robert Part II

I’m not the only one, though. Despite being an American and published in more than 100 countries in the world, he is the most read in the Czech Republic. Czech people love him. And he loves them. A couple of hours before he went to the airport to finally have some rest from us after six intense weeks of travelling throughout the country, we had met. It was a last-minute interview and I was rushing there by the first train from Colours of Ostrava music festival, meaning that I slept three hours and I only quickly changed from smelly dirty clothes and muddy trainers but had no time for more improvement. As the festival is called “Colours”, I painted every nail in a different and shiny colour. It looked not only crazy, but also pretty ugly and flaked away after three days of the festival. Believe me, not a thing you want to show off.

The first thing Robert said when he saw me: ,,Cool nails!” Of course, typical Robert, paying attention to little crazy details! Thanks God he was at the festival too, I was understood. We started sharing our experiences, how happy both of us were that there had been no drunk people and plastic beer cups lying around. He was jealous that he hadn’t heard all the great bands as I had because he’d had no time for it. He promised he would come back both to the festival and to the Czech Republic again next year, to finally get off the stage and just simply live here in peace.

Robert, a story-teller

In this way we could have carried on talking forever, it just felt so natural and then I realized: what about the interview?! That’s the thing with Robert, and it also explains why he doesn’t like to talk about himself as about a writer (no matter he has sold over 17 millions copies of his books). To be a writer is isolating, you’re on your own and you have to tell everything with words on paper. I’m not surprised Robert might struggle with it – when he tells a story in a book, he cannot touch a reader’s shoulder, use gestures instead of words, or interlay one story with another because it had just come into his mind –  as he did when he talked to me.

Robert Fulghum has had countless professions throughout his life, from a cowboy and digger to a pastor or teacher, and he doesn’t like any pigeon-holing about what he “actually is”. He calls himself simply Robert Fulghum. I will give him one label , though. For me he is a story-teller.

This is the story he told me:Interview with Robert Fulghum