-An Honest Relationship Depends on How Much I Open My Mind-SNS: communication by the people and for the people

1. We Go to the Library Together, Have Lunch Together,

and Share Our Daily Lives

Since I was little, I have had many opportunities to meet friends from different cultures. I lived with a Japanese family for a while, and traveled to more than 20 countries as an exchange student. I met many people, and from this I learned sincerity is the key when starting a new relationship. When I think of them as my second family and open my mind, they too open their mind. Sharing a daily routine is the first and the most important step; for example, going to a grocery store or the library together. For foreign friends with whom you cannot communicate well, visiting their house and preparing a meal they will like are good ways to become closer: perhaps Bibimbab, a traditional Korean dish with assorted vegetables and rice for a friend who likes vegetables, or Gimbap, a Korean style sushi, for those who like salmon. When you start talking while you share recipes, you and your friend’s minds will open up to each other, and you will become a real family.

Jae Young Park (27), University Student

2. Trust comes from the workplace that is more than a place for work;

it can involve the families as well.

A workplace can be more than just a place for work;

by involving the families it can establish trust between workers as well.

Office work is difficult not because of the work, but mainly because of the relationships between people. For the past two years, I have been thinking about what would make people communicate without conflict. The answer I found was ‘take interest in little things first’. When I paid close attention to my co-workers and made a compliment like “you look good today” or “that new shirt suits you well”, it was easy to start a conversation, and there was a lot we could talk about. I would often ask how their parents are doing or what their children’s names are, and after being introduced to their spouses I would also send them cheerful messages. When I train new interns to be reporters I use this method also. The training sessions are very difficult, and about half of new reporters drop out during their training period. However, I find that when I send messages to their parents such as “your child is doing well, my thanks to you for rearing them so well,” the majority of the interns do not give up but finish the training session instead. If our workplace becomes not just a place where we work, but a place that shows concern for our beloved family then our trust between each other will grow stronger.

Yong Tae Yoon (42), Reporter

3. An Affectionate Word Begins a Good Relationship