Lesson from Chaos #2: Local experts > expats

Post-tsunami Indonesia.

Three months after the 2005 Indian Ocean tsunami, I was working in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. We had a second earthquake, a mere 8.7, which was indeed better than the 8.9. There was no tsunami for the second quake which was centered near the island of Nais but there was substantial damage.

I went with a team to assess the need. We ended up in the town of Singkill and tried to care for about 30,000 displaced persons. The team consisted of a logistician, a water and sanitation guy, and a public health nurse. All were locals. All spoke the local language. The log and wat-san guys were trained civil engineers.

The team asked me what they should do. I first off said we should get lunch. There was a neat little noodle place I saw near the market.

I then asked what the team thought we needed to do. The log said rent a warehouse and order supplies. The wat-san said build boreholes and pit latrines, the nurse wanted to do trainings. 

I said, “Great. Go do it.”

They asked me, “Don’t you want to come along?”

“Nope."

“What will you do?”

“I’m going to go back to the office (hotel) and take a nap,” I said. “Get me when you need money.”

They looked at me in amazement.

Later, one told me the local staff had a saying, “You may be expat, but I’m expert.” Truer words were never spoken.

It was a lesson I’d learn over and over.

The locals are indeed the experts.