2005 & 2006 (10-12)

2005 (10/11) 

The following year, I was in fifth grade. I went over to Lenny’s house, and he was playing GTA San Andreas. At the time, the game’s graphics were impressive. You could see your character from a third-person perspective and control their movements.

The game is set in three cities modeled after Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Las Vegas. The player character completes tasks called “missions” to advance the plot. Players can run, drive cars, planes, bicycles, and other vehicles. Missions aren’t mandatory all the time; players can freely explore the game’s map. You could visit cities and villages, go to a casino and gamble, and even play mini-games in bars. It was like a game within a game, offering complete immersion. We all used cheat codes, had fun, occasionally did missions, and generally enjoyed the game. GTA San Andreas had a great story and remains a cult classic to this day.

I installed the game on my own computer and played it, but my dad discovered it and, noting its 16+ age rating, forbade me from playing. Despite this, I played whenever I had the chance. The game also featured a multiplayer mode, similar to Call of Duty, where you could play online with people from all over the world. In this mode, there were virtually no restrictions. 

2006 (11/12) 

One of my aunts had an LG phone called the Chocolate. 

It was far more advanced than my basic Nokia. One night, I secretly borrowed it and listened to some songs on its vibrant color screen. I discovered the song “Luče moje” by Dragana Mirković, a Serbian pop-folk song that I’ve liked ever since.