The Early Years
I was born and raised in Sweden by parents who fled communist Yugoslavia (present-day Croatia) in search of a better life. My siblings and I were born in Malmö, Sweden. Our household was the classic immigrant household where the kids all fit in pretty well, but the parents never quite did, retaining their accents and customs from back home. We were Catholic while the majority of Swedes are Protestant.
Nonetheless my father built a successful business, importing food from the Eastern Bloc countries, catering to the many new immigrants arriving in Sweden. It became a thriving business, which added to the native food culture, with several brand names now well-known throughout Sweden, like Ajvar, Vegeta, and Radenska. It was a family business, and I remember helping unload trucks and train cars as a young boy.
The early 80's brought three milestones that would impact my life. In 1982 the Commodore 64 home computer was released, in 1983 the movie WarGames came out, followed by Red Dawn in 1984. These would forever change the trajectory of my life. I became hooked on computers and my love for America as a bastion of freedom was cemented. I vowed early to one day become a full-fledged American.
Then there was the landslide re-election of President Ronald Reagan on November 6th, 1984. His message of optimism, capitalism, and individual liberty resonated with me - even as a young boy. I was one weird teenager, that's for sure. While many Swedes marched in "May Day" parades celebrating socialism (or worse), I would bring Old Glory and wave her around for everyone to see.
I wrote a letter to President Reagan, and to my surprise a reply arrived - including a signed photo, which remains in my office to this day. Of course, being just a teenager, I was too young to move anywhere quite yet. So, I focused on learning everything I could about computers and even started my own small business importing modems and video game accessories, with a $2,000 loan from my father.
...to be continued...