Just admit it. You don't know.

I've learned a number of things here in ole Bulgaria. I am the best, and only real, measurer of my success. Character is everything. Stupid is as stupid does. Taoism has some real merits. Blah, Blah, blah. There're also beliefs that I had before that are now just stone-cold facts in my head. One of my new facts is this: there are no experts and people who claim to be experts are ignorant assholes.

There are moments of serious discussion and reflection with my Bulgarian friends and co-workers. They tend to come from left field and leave me thinking "well, yeah, but where in the hell did that come from?" Today, for example, in discussing a potential trafficking project with my NGO counterpart she basically begins talking about benchmarking (aka looking for best practices). OK. Yeah, totally. But, um, where'd THAT come from? Talking, talking... and she says "I don't want to be one of those organizations in Bulgaria that think they know everything and just make brochures and seminars on topics they don't even understand." Uhhh... I'm so elated I'm speechless. She points to stacks of books "too abstract - too much theory." She points to brochures "they don't go to the problem - corruption, desperation, communities that help this happen." Uhhh... I have no reaction that doesn't involve cursing and jumping and clapping so I just say "exactly."

I work with and meet tons of "experts." On what? Good question. They are just experts. Their title says so, don't question it. They know and have certificates that say so. This country is certificate crazy. The certificate means this "I've read some brochures or binders of info and went to a seminar...all produced by people with certificates in something else." The country is talking, no one just has any clue what people are saying and what the hell it has to do with anything real.

I'm writing a project that would make training tangible to local leaders - take the theory and the rhetoric and apply it to your organization. Let's talk about what happens. People don't do it here. It's all models of project planning and management and analysis tools. No connecting, no thinking. Just models... and then doing. A country spinning its wheels.

This isn't a Bulgarian problem. It's a global one. In the States people are hired because their resumes have the right schools on them or the right degrees. Yale, MBA, Stanford, PhD. These are our own stamps and certificates. People have a piece of paper - they went to school, read some books and sat through some lectures by people who... spend a lifetime in lectures and books. These people go out into the world and run things. Skills, natural talents and character be damned. Without the right credentials merit means nothing. Credentials are your merit. Just ask anyone with them.

My own life is torn between work that's practical and work that's analytical. I want both. One without the other is empty to me. But... where and what is that work? Development largely seems to be a big word for "liberals in nice offices with nice theories." There's money for capacity building and integration and education... throw it into the problem. Maybe it will work. The thinkers have clean hands and ponder waste management while the workers are up to their eyes in shit.

The gap between thinking and doing. Perhaps there should be a seminar.