Lessons learned in the development and implementation of an English language training (ELT) project for Indonesian Civil Service workers are discussed. The project, designed to focus on development of English communication skills, was undertaken in cooperation with the state administration agency. Issues and difficulties discussed include: bureaucratic inconsistencies; the role of the advisory agency; agencies' coordination of efforts; Indonesia attitudes toward language at the personal, institutional, and national levels; differing expectations; and communication and planning styles. Through anecdotal discussion of a number of specific events, developments, and comments, the difficulty of reconciling good intentions with frustrations and disappointments is examined. (MSE)