Juan Calderón from Colombia was brought to the Czech Republic by a desire for adventure: 'I was surprised by how much beer you can drink here'
How and why did you decide to change your life and travel to an unknown country in the middle of Europe?
I guess it's because I've always been a bit of an adventurer. At the age of twelve, for example, I got a scholarship to study in Seattle, USA, where I had the opportunity to study for a while. It was interesting to travel at such a young age to a country that offers a completely different culture, a different language and you don't know anyone there.
After returning from America, I moved from my hometown of Pasto to Bogotá. After a while, I got a great job at a Colombian TV station, where I took pictures and held other positions. I remember I was having a really bad day when things weren't going well, and on that particular day I got an email that I could meet people from the New York Times and expand my portfolio of work contacts. So I went to New York and met with the editors of the New York Times, the editors of Getty Images, Vogue Italy, Variety and Le Monde in France. I showed them all my work and made valuable contacts. However, I was only 21 at the time and I was aware that I was still very young and had a lot to understand and learn, which I was currently working on.
During a conversation with an agent there, we got to the subject of art schools. He told me about a very good art school somewhere in the middle of Europe, but he didn't tell me exactly where it was. As soon as I could, I immediately searched the internet and typed "best photography schools in Europe" into the search engine. One of the first schools that came up was FAMU in Prague. Although I knew nothing about Prague, but also nothing about the Czech Republic, I applied.
Then you moved to the Czech Republic?
Yes. I decided to leave everything behind and hear the call for adventure. It was hard and very interesting for me. I left de facto everything I had built. I had a good job and because I was working really hard, I was starting to have good clients. I was working for television, but I was also working for Warner Music, for example, but then one day I packed up, said goodbye to my family and a few of my closest friends and hit the road.
How was your arrival in the Czech Republic?
It was terrible. I didn't know anyone here, plus I came with my mom and dad. My parents wanted to see what it was like here. They had never been to Prague before. The problem is they don't speak English, only Spanish. When we came to Prague, I had to take care of them because otherwise they wouldn't have understood each other at all. But in addition to all that, I had to take care of myself, to get a foothold here, to get a place to live and all the other things I needed. It was very stressful.
I remember walking into the store and not understanding anyone or anything. I didn't know how to buy eggs, milk and other basic things. But sooner or later I made some friends and it was fine. I definitely don't regret that decision for any reason.
I'm kind of surprised you didn't have a place to live in the beginning...
At the very beginning I lived in a short-term rented apartment in Vinohrady. And you really want to know how it went? (laughs) I opened several online dating sites, where I wrote that I was "new in the city". I got a lot of messages. But I remember one guy that I messaged a little bit more. Among other things, I confided in him that I was quite stressed and that I didn't know how to find a more permanent place to live here, etc. He wrote back that he was a real estate agent, so he helped show me available apartments and that's how I got my first place. It was an incredible coincidence and I was very lucky.
The only thing you had going for you was studying photography at FAMU?
Yes, I only had school confirmed. I didn't have a job and nothing else. I had already applied to the school from Colombia, and then I had an online interview and was accepted. In the beginning I was just studying and living off my savings, but it wasn't that easy because the prices in the Czech Republic are a bit higher than in Colombia.
After a while I got tired of just studying and I thought that I had to work somewhere so that there would be no empty space on my CV. I decided to start with some easier jobs. I couldn't do anything full time while I was in school. I got the opportunity to work in a bar as a bar-back (assistant bartender, ed.). I had never worked in a bar before. Later I got a position as a bartender and it was a very good experience that made me realise how nice it is to talk to people and listen to them. Over time I started to work more as a photographer and got involved with Mercedes-Benz Prague Fashion Week, for example, but also with LUI magazine.
If I'm not mistaken, you've been in the Czech Republic for two years now and you even found a Czech boyfriend here?
Yes. I've been in the Czech Republic for more than two years and my boyfriend and I have been together for a little over a year. I'm learning Czech and discovering Czech culture with my boyfriend.
I guess you can pretty well describe the main differences between Colombia and the Czech Republic?
You bet! The biggest problem I feel here is that Latinos have an incredible problem with time. I always try to be everywhere on time, but somehow I can't. (laughs) Another difference is that we are very hot-tempered. That means we're more energetic and we make decisions quickly. When we want something, we just go and do it. I think that's what the Czechs lack a little bit. You generally analyze more and think about everything too much.
When I was talking about the online dating in the beginning, I have to say that guys in Colombia are much more reserved and modest. I've been pretty intimidated by guys here at times. Many of them try to portray themselves as the guy with the perfect body and are too blatant about their preferences. It surprised me how much some guys care about who the other guy is or isn't and what he has or doesn't have. Some guys even had a list on their profiles with exact parameters. Although Colombians are hot-headed, they are a bit more reticent on these apps.
Tell me about a few other interesting differences between our cultures?
I'm quite surprised that you eat an awful lot of stews, dumplings and other heavy foods. I can't get used to that. Although I must admit, you have the best stew I've ever tasted. But I've been taught to eat more vegetables and fresh food because Colombia is a tropical country. I do miss more fresh drink stands, for example. When they do exist, it's disgustingly expensive. In Colombia, I used to get up every morning with fresh juice, which was also very cheap. Fresh juice that costs a hundred crowns here costs fifteen crowns in Colombia.
It's also interesting how much you drink beer. In Colombia I drank beer about once a month, here it seems like every day, but again I have to say you have really great beer.
On the other hand, I really like the quality of life in the Czech Republic, which is at a very high level. Compared to Colombia, the Czech Republic is also a much safer country. If you take public transport to work in Colombia, for example, and you travel for about 45 minutes, during that time you will 100% of the time meet an immigrant asking for money, a homeless person begging for money, a budding street artist offering his services for money and a person trying to rob you. All four of these things you just encounter every day on your way to and from work, which is terrible.
What was the first thing associated with the Czech Republic that brought out the wow effect in you? What was the most surprising thing?
Definitely the architecture. Prague is beautiful. I was also very surprised by the local people, who seem quite cold at first, but when you get to know them better, it makes for really lovely friendly relationships. And then of course the beer! (laughs)
I remember being very surprised by the local climate as well. Here in Colombia it's de facto permanently spring (14 to 22°C), but here the temperatures really change a lot in the seasons. In winter I wear two layers of pants, several layers of t-shirts and a sweater. (laughs) It was something incredible for me when I first experienced winter here.
At the same time, the Czech Republic is a very atheistic country compared to Colombia. Here, everybody is somehow dependent on religion.
In that case, I wonder how they feel about homosexuals in Colombia? Was that the reason you wanted to go somewhere else?
Not at all. I have to say, although we're a very religious country, it's pretty cool. We can get married and we have all kinds of rights. Now, it's going to sound like I won Miss Universe, but I think love is love and religion just can't interfere with your plans to love someone and form a family with them. Religion should be treated as a philosophy, not some straightforward rule to follow blindly.
But the big difference between the Czech Republic and Colombia is that I think people in the Czech Republic are perfectly fine with homosexuals. If I walk down the street with my boyfriend, they don't even notice me, but if I did the same thing in Colombia, everyone would see me. It doesn't mean they would attack me, but they would stare at me. So even though you can be a single gay man in Colombia, they'll still criticize you. It seems to me that in the Czech Republic, sometimes the biggest struggle is paradoxically within the community, rather than the majority society treating the community in any negative way.
If I'm not mistaken, you successfully graduated from FAMU in November? Have you ever been to Colombia in the meantime?
Not once. I was planning to go soon, but the coronavirus pandemic made it impossible. On the other hand, my mother and grandmother came to visit me, and my brother.
What are your plans for the future?
I have to say I don't know exactly. (laughs) I'm still deciding what direction I'm going to take. I like to take pictures, make videos and write, so I'm definitely going to be in those fields.
Can you imagine your life in the Czech Republic permanently?
Yes, but I would also like to travel through my work. That means I would have a sort of fixed base in the Czech Republic, but I would move around Europe in different ways.
So you're not thinking about ever going back to Colombia?
Nobody knows. I love my country, but I have my life here now and I'm not planning on changing yet.
