Well, I have been reading the posts concerning working in Korea with much interest. And I have a couple of comments that might be a good idea to consider.

First, for any medical professionals or other type of professionals, it would be a good idea to check about the legal requirements to work -- for example, country by country, a doctor may need further training to obtain a legal license to practice medicine in some countries (I have heard that medical doctors from other countries are not allowed to practice medicine in the USA or Japan based only on their native country's validation). That might also prove to be so for other professionals.

Secondly, about teaching English in Korea, that was briefly discussed at the third wives 21 days workshop. Someone was considering getting a working visa and taking a job teaching and one point that came up was that if one were to do that, there would be NO time for doing the public mission for which the mobilization is taking place because both public schools and private organizations in Korea are VERY demanding concerning one's use of time. In Japan, it is similar, and if one works in the public school system here, on is supposed to put in very long hours, even on Saturdays, and a teacher isn't supposed to hold any other job other than volunteer work. After hours in Asia for teachers and other professionals are not considered one's own private time to do as one likes. Moonlighting is not accepted, generally, in Japan. Teachers may be called by the school, the education board, the police or parents at anytime here concerning students or concerning the morality of the teacher, etc.

Thirdly, I am not sure about how "free" mobilized wives will be to decide how they will operate while in Korea. Although we might have many of our own personal ideas about how we would like to witness, live, or whatever, my impressions were that: 1. We don't speak, read or write Korean so we are starting BELOW the servant of servant's position, no matter how many years we have been attending True Parents. It seems that one of the reasons we are mobilized is to learn Korean and the culture of Korea and without that foundation, we are not really respected as elders and responsible adults and must build a trust foundation from scratch, plus learn the ins and outs of language, Korean culture, Korean church culture and hierarchy etc. Our place will be at the very bottom.. MAYBE wives who are NM's wives, because of that position, might be allowed a little more freedom but the general situation appears to be different.

2. Having taught English to foreigners privately for 12 years in Japan, I experienced that it is NOT an effective way to bring spiritual children. (although it is a route to give people Holy food, candy, juice, etc. Basically, teaching English is BUSINESS and witnessing is something separate and it is not good to mix the two. I tell my students honestly about my church affiliation and being matched by True Parents and blessed by them when asked. I have even directly witnessed to some students and my spouse has taught DP to some of them, but we have NO substantial result for that. They didn't accept True Parents or became negative and there was no more connection. I think that basically, we have to be up front from the beginning and our purpose must be clear. You can't just mix things up. Especially in Asia, private is not really considered private in the same sense it is in the West. If we are to go to Korea to do Missionary work, that is what we will be expected to put as central to our living in Korea. I had the idea to teach Divine Principle in English to students and others who want English lessons and perhaps "kill two birds with one stone" so to speak. But we will have central figures to answer to and they may have their own ideas or directions about how we are supposed to be utilized during our mobilization. Rev. Sudo used to teach us that, "an offering has no mouth". And as I understand it, mobilized wives are "an offering". I have heard that Mormons have been successful in witnessing through teaching English using the Bible and the Book of Mormon. But I got the impression that they don't do it as a Business to make income and it is clear from the start that it has some motivation other than students learning English as its basis, though it results in students who are diligent in both improving their English and coming to understand Mormon's views about things. MAYBE there is an effective way to do it, that is teach English for money AND do our mission, but I don't know the way, personally.

Anyway, these are not OFFICIAL things, they are my own, personal observations, experiences and opinions and there may well be others with different experiences, opinions, whatever which we all might want to read and consider.

God bless each of you and your loved ones.

Your sister, Mary Yasuda

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