Image-Making

I first noticed the ladies coming into the teacher’s lounge at Andeok School a couple of days ago. Prim and proper, they sat upright and waited until second period was over.

Today, at Hyeonseo school, there were two more ladies, sitting like the ones who came to Andeok, finely dressed, hair neatly done, and in, if-I-may-say-so, very fashionable and high-end clothing.

So far, at both Andeok and Hyeoseo Schools, there have been different ladies coming in from Daegu City to give speeches on “image-making”. At first, I thought that this was some computer-imaging lecture or that the ladies had come into the school to take graduation portraits of the students. No matter how much the Andeok teachers tried to explain the purpose of the ladies, I was definitely getting the wrong impression.

So, today, I asked the Hyeonseo teachers what this was all about. After much gesturing and playing of words, I finally got it. The ladies were here to give an etiquette lecture. Apparently there was a stewardess-trainer-turned-etiquette-expert who had set her sights upon the children of middle and high schools. Her main advice: SMILE. The women would teach students how to sit, eat, drink, greet, stand, converse, etc. (much like obedience school for dogs… “Sit! Stand! Lay down! Roll over! Good girl!…). They saw it as an important part of a child’s future occupation.

All I am reminded of is etiquette school for young girls…princesses in the making.

- Jess