Early Life and Education
Lusha was born in Tirana, Albania and is the only child of Max and Daniela. She was named Masiela by a merging of her parents' names. In 1990, Lusha and her family left their homeland. Upon leaving Albania, Lusha moved to Budapest, Hungary, and Vienna, Austria. While living in Vienna, Lusha studied ballet and art. Lusha later said in an interview that she and her mother "shared one shadow throughout each transition" in their lives and considered her mother to be her "best friend." In a later interview, Lusha's kindergarten teacher described Lusha as "a soft-spoken, gentle child with absolutely no tincture of rebellion in her make-up." Echoing such observations, Lusha's former English teacher described Lusha when she was 12 as "thoughtful and graceful... full of enthusiasm and energy."
When later asked about the Albanian culture she left behind, Lusha was quoted as saying: "There’s a condensed softness about the Albanian people, and I’ve witnessed examples of their hospitality and compassion. Their blood runs through my veins, and I am proud to call myself Albanian." It is reported that many of the women in Lusha's family were published poets, and much of her creative inspiration was fostered by her mother. At that time, Lusha's mother was an editor who had published the first full-color Albanian magazine, Ora. As a child, it was revealed that Lusha's nightly lullabies consisted of her mother's poetry recited to her every evening. Inspired by her mother's work, Lusha then wrote her own collection of poems in various languages a few years later.
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