Indonesia has always been a place “way out there in Southeast Asia” for me. My world travels took me all over the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, and Europe, but East Asia remained a place that did not capture my professional interest until 2005, when I visited Singapore. During that trip, I remember the distinct feeling of ambivalence among a lot of Singaporeans on all issues related to Indonesia. That further aroused my curiosity. Since then, Indonesia was the most interesting place for me in East Asia. Strangely enough, however, my first visit to that country didn’t happen until October 2008.