Lynn - VERY interested to hear what you had to say about the IBLCE exam.
I've taken it twice now (CERPS being so difficult to obtain) and BOTH times
I found it difficult and confusing too.  However, the two of us in Zimbabwe
work from time to time on seeking recognition of the credential (we applied
to our Health Professions Council for registration in September 1993, still
no answer as yet, but we remind them we're still here from time to time! -
and we continue to work on third party reimbursement - and on making the
IBCLC credential "visible" in as many other ways as we can think of!).  So
that - personally - I am VERY keen to sit and pass the SAME exam as the rest
of the world, to maintain an INTERNATIONAL credential.  I do not want to
pass a different, easier, exam.

I do hear what you say about it being a little more difficult for us, but I
therefore expect to work a little bit harder.  Books and materials are
difficult and very expensive for us to obtain, because of distance and
exchange rates.  The exam fees, when translated from US Dollars to Zim
Dollars, are astronomical (they equate to the ANNUAL minimum wage in
Zimbabwe) - which is why we applied for, and were granted from the IBLCE
Board, an extremely generous reduction in fees for the five Zimbabwean
nurses who were candidates last year. In many ways it IS tough being amongst
the first in a brand-new profession on "the forgotten continent", but don't
lose heart - in other ways it has been wonderful! Over the years we have
been treated VERY generously, I received a scholarship for my first exam,
and so did my colleague when she sat the exam in l99l, we have received
encouragement and occasional small gifts of informational materials from all
over the world and I have been "adopted" by a large and wonderful LC group
in the US.  And, now that we have Lactnet, the world seems MUCH smaller!
It would be good to hear what IBLCE candidates in other distant out-posts
think. Personally I would welcome concessions on the COSTS of keeping
up-to-date  e g books, study modules (nearly quoted recent price hike for
LESS CERPS, ooops!, have written to ILCA about this) journals and exam fees
- to reflect the realities of our cost of living, our inflation rate (thanks
IMF and World Bank!) our dwindling exchange rates, and our lack of access to
conferences, workshops, courses and other LCs - but as to the exam itself -
no, I want to have EXACTLY the same test as any other LC on the planet.

Pamela, Zimbabwe