Julia Suryakusuma was born in New Delhi, India on July 19, 1954 to Karlina Karnasutisna, a schoolteacher turned housewife, and Iman Suryakusuma, a career diplomat. As a result of her father's job, she spent many years of her childhood and teenagehood abroad, following her parents wherever they were posted. She attended primary schools in London, Budapest and Jakarta, her secondary schools in Rome and Jakarta, her undergraduate studies in Jakarta (Faculty of Psychology, University of Indonesia, 1974-76) and London (BSc in Sociology, City University, 1976-79) and postgraduate studies in Holland (MSc in Politics of Developing Societies, Institute of Social Studies, 1986-88). (to be continued)