I was never really into fiction or novels, of course, as a child, I had my fling with Harry Potter and some traditional russian books, but even at 10, 12 and so on, my favourite books were non-fiction.
Self-education and learning books were exciting and as a child, left alone so many times for so long, they felt like the only thing that can really prepare me for the world that I was entering. My favourite book before age 10 was a book on etiquette for young boys.
I’m not kidding, I wish I remembered the name or it was still in print, or there was some way to find it. I still live by some of the rules that stuck with me from that book to this day. Where else was I supposed to learn that girls like flowers and when someone holds the door for them.
I was fascinated by computers and even though we had no tangible hope of being able to afford one, I still felt this calling that I can make something of myself through them.
At 10, for my birthday, I asked my mum for a book on html and javascript. I remember to this day. It cost 4 lats, my mum used to earn less than 80 lats per month working 2 full time jobs. 4 lats was a significant amount of money. Enough for both of us to eat for several days, or even a week if she stretched it, as we so often had to.
I remember the frustration in her eyes — is his excitement worth this massive investment? How can I be sure it’s not a waste?
I fell in love. Computer programming knowledge right in front of me. I knew that book by heart within the next few months. For the next 2 years I filled notepads full of html, css and javascript code.
Would routinely skip school and hang out in internet cafes, sometimes finding a way to buy some computer time (often through lies and stealing). To type up the page I had imagined in my head.
Even at that age I knew that being at the bottom of the food chain sucks and that I was going to climb out of this hole I was born in.
By 12 I had regular access to a computer (not ours) and I brought home my first 100 lats earned through designing and coding a real website for an actual client.
It was a company that made uniforms for various physical jobs like car repair shops, food production etc. I found the owner through a TV-sms-chat kind of a thing.
My mum’s investment paid dividends. 2500% ROI in 2 years.
It felt great. I was over the moon with pride and joy. The spark grew into a flame and my fate was cemented. For better or for worse, I was going to become a web developer.