Le Jardin des Roses (The Garden of Roses)
Description
The setting for Le Jardin des Roses (trans. The Garden of Roses) is Rose Academy. A Catholic school founded in 1908 in Daegu Metropolitan City (the third largest metropolitan area in South Korea with approximately 2.5 million residents); the academy is depicted as the oldest and the most prestigious primary and secondary educational institution for females and was the first of its kind to be established in the country. Having founded in the early 1900s by French Congregationalists, the school was the first all-girls University-Preparatory school (“Prep School”) in Korea. The school is known for its selective admissions process, challenging academics, and high reputation for sending students to highly selective colleges and universities—both national and international. Among the facilities of Rose Academy, aside from classrooms (subdivided into different buildings—from preschool, primary/elementary, secondary/high school), are student dormitories (for junior and senior high), a church, greenhouse, an auditorium, a park, sports facilities such as an indoor pool, a kendo dojo and a field, and the Rose Mansion where the Student Council meet. The students are very respectable and in good standing both in and outside the school.
The academy uniform is represented by their white sneakers, grey above-the-knee skirts, tucked-in white buttoned shirts, gray sweaters, and dark blue blazers; all tops are marked with the school emblem on the right upper side. The patterned uniform bows and neckties are only allowed to be worn by elementary students and above (no bows/neckties for preschoolers), and varies from primary to secondary grades. The primary (grade 1 to 6) school students are represented by their patterned bows, while the junior (grade 7 to 10) and senior high school (grade 11 to 12) students are represented by their neckties with of the same pattern.
The school is well-known for its unique support system. The “soeur” (trans. sister) system where any students above grade 8 (2nd year junior high onwards), the “grande soeur” (trans. big sister), can pick any girl younger in grade who will become her “petite soeur” (trans. little sister). This act is sealed and signified through the passing of the grande soeur’s rosary and with the promise to look after her and guide her, while the petite soeur will oath to abide and support her senior. Aside from being an instrument for prayer, the rosary greatly signifies this system through certifying the soeur union and relationship between the two students. Through this bonding an implicit code of behavior is created between soeurs, especially in the Rose Council (Student Council)— love, modesty, gratitude and appreciation, measure and respect towards each other and other values deeply attached to the academy traditions.
The Rose Academy rosary is endowed to freshmen (1st year junior high) students on their first day by the Rose Council, not only to welcome them but also as a sign of their belongingness to the academy.
The student council of the Academy is called the Rose Council; this body of students are called “Roses”.
They meet in a building called the Rose Mansion, located within the school. It consists of two stories—a lounge and work area on the ground level and a meeting room on the second level. The council itself was originally divided into 10 offices, named after the 10 colors of the Rosa familia (Rose family). It was said that the 10 offices came from the 10 female Congregationalists which belong to the founders of the academy. Each rose embodies a unique color and virtue- 1Red (love), 2White (modesty, purity and cleanliness), 3Light Pink (grace), 4Dark Pink (gratitude and appreciation), 5Cream (charm and thoughtfulness), 6Yellow (friendship, joy, and optimism), 7Salmon (fascination, desire and excitement), 8Green (nature and constant rejuvenation of spirit), 9Purple (enchantment), 10Burgundy (unconscious beauty).
Based on tradition and due to the high importance of the Rose Families as representations of the student council, those who become petite soeurs of any of the mentioned families receive a functional “inheritance” through the grandes seours teachings, to adopt automatically a position in the Rose Council. However, due to modernization of times the tradition of “inheritance” can be withheld based on the candidates voted by the student body for the Rose position (color).
A Rose is a senior member of the Rose Council. A Rose makes the important decisions within the council since she is part of the student council. The candidates for the position are chosen before the beginning of the school year, and are picked through the school elections. Any student can run to become a Rose once nominated or those with the desire to be part of the Rose council; though even encompassing traditions, the positions are usually kept or are still given by the student body to the “en boutons”, the Roses’ petite soeurs.
The petite soeurs of a Rosa is called an en bouton (trans. rose bud). The en boutons are usually the unofficial members of the Rose Council. They generally execute the plans discussed by the Roses, like Council helpers or assistants; thus they are allowed to come in and out the Rose Mansion and are included in council meetings. The official titles for these students are called Rose en bouton (ex. Red Rose en bouton). Given the chance that the Rose en bouton already has a petite soeur, then that student would also be an unofficial part of the council—the ”en bouton petite” (trans. younger sister of a rose bud). The en bouton petite does small duties such as tending to the Roses and Rose en boutons, cleaning the Rose Mansion, and making tea and snacks for the Rose Council. Once the en bouton is elected as a Rose, the en bouton petite automatically become the Rosa en bouton.
[reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria-sama_ga_Miteru]
Foreword
Ever since I can remember, it had always been my dream to attend the Rose Academy. When I was about four years old, I saw a group of little girls probably around my age wearing those elegant uniforms. I asked my Mom what they were wearing and why they had the same clothes. She told me that they were students of Rose Academy. I told my Mom I wanted to come with them and go to their school; I expressed so much how I wanted to be like them. But I was hurt when she told me I couldn’t because I didn’t need to go to school like them. I was homeschooled until I was 12 and was personally thought by my Mom. One of the main reasons for this is because my Mom and Dad were not yet financially stabled at that time. They had me just after they graduated college. Although it was already their plan to get married once they both got stable jobs, they did not expect my Mom to be pregnant a few weeks after their graduation. Our family “had to adjust and sacrifice” as I always hear from my Dad when I get the chance to talk to him. He would always tell us that he just wants to provide a better future for us even if he wasn’t there with me and my Mom as I grew up. After my parents had their small and private wedding, my Dad left for the States to continue his studies. He only came back when my Mom was about to give birth to me and on certain but rare holidays.
I always admired him for not giving up on his dream of becoming a Doctor (field of Medicine). Even though it hurts me to grow up without him by my side, I always got hope from my Mom always telling me how much he loves us and that he’ll come back to us soon. She would always tell me how much she loves him too, and how God gave me as a blessing to add more to their love.
When I was 6 years old, my Mom took me to our neighborhood park and let me play around while she read her book in one of the benches. While I was at the top of the slide, I saw them again-- those girls wearing their gray shirts and blue blazers. Since I got distracted, an older girl ran into me causing one of my knees to get a small scratch. I didn’t cry at first because it was just a small gash, plus the “unnie” was nice enough to give me her hanky and put a band aide on my knee. After I said thanks she patted my head and asked me where my Mom was. She added that she was going to walk me to my Mom and personally ask for an apology for what she did to me.
It wasn’t until we got home did I began to cry. My Mom immediately got worried and asked me what was wrong, but I just ended up hugging her. I was crying because I couldn’t stand the fact that I would be able to see that unnie again. Or even get the chance to know her, or have friends like her.
I asked my Mom to sleep with me that night. I told her the reason why I cried earlier. She just hummed before starting to tell me the story of a little girl who dreamt of becoming a teacher. She told me that the little girl always wanted to help others because that’s what she learned from her mother who was a teacher. The little girl would never forget the words of her mother “great teachers are the reason why ordinary students dream to do extraordinary things; to the world you may just me a teacher, but for your students, you can be a hero”.
“So what happened to the little girl Umma?”, I asked my Mom.
My Mom smiled before she went to answer my question, “Well, she fell in love with a boy who dreamt to become a Doctor. They loved each other so much that they even had a beautiful baby girl.”
“Wait, this story sounds familiar…”, I stealthily asked my Mom when I realized she was talking about our family. I started laughing when she started tickling me.
“Stop Umma, please.” I begged off when I was running out of breath.
“A teacher takes a hand, opens a mind, and touches a heart.” My Mom took my hand, kissed my head and placed her hand on my chest while she said those things. “Your Umma went on to become a teacher… with the honor of having the prettiest, cutest, smartest, kindest and most loving little girl as her first student.”
“I’m sorry Umma.”, I started to cry.
“Baby, why are you crying? Aren’t you happy with what I said?”
I nodded my head sideways, “It’s not like that Umma. I’m just sorry for causing you worry; especially with my wish to go to a normal school, when I’m more than happy to have you as my teacher and my company. I love you Mom and thank you for not just taking care of me and feeding me, but how also for teaching me things I need to learn.”
“Aww baby, it’s okay. I understand how you feel. Time will come and you’ll get to see what’s out there. As your Dad always tells you we just need to have patience and the things we want will eventually come to us.”
After my Mom and I had that talk I learned not to think about Rose Academy, nor the idea of having to go to a regular school. I learned to accept and understand my situation right now. So I put everything else at the back of my mind because I know right now is not the time to be thinking about those things. I’m already lucky to have such amazing parents and that’s more than enough for me.
Exactly 6 years after that incident, my Mom woke me up really early even though it was a weekend and it was summer time. I was homeschooled but like regular school I also don’t have class on weekends and on summers. After getting decent, my Mom told me that we were going to be moving to our new house. I forgot that it was today. My parents explained that we were moving to a more convenient place near the city. Because of the time, I already I feel asleep the moment I got inside the car. I didn’t even notice that the car we were riding was not ours and that a man in uniform was the one driving. When I woke up my eyes got the most shock it ever had. The house we would be moving in was huge. I rubbed both of my eyes to completely take the sleep away and clear my vision if this was actually real. Not only that, but when the car stopped in front of a huge door it was my Dad who came out along with 2 old ahjussis (middle-aged men).
My Dad was the one who told me that the house was a gift from my grandpa who passed away a few weeks ago. I already met him a few days ago when my Mom and I paid a visit at the hospital. It turns out that he was already really sick back then. It made me sad because I wanted to get to know him more, but now I won’t get the chance to.
Another thing which made me sad was that my Mom would stop teaching me and go back to studying her own for her Master’s Degree. But my Dad promised me that the one to teach me from now on would be just like my Mom. And not forgetting to tell me as well that from then on, he would be staying and working right here in Daegu to be with us.
I was really confused about my feelings to be honest. I really didn’t know how to feel with all the information they told me. However, what made my tip my mood completely was the surprise they had for me in my own room. Not that I didn’t have a room of my own in our previous house, but it was the clothes or rather the uniforms hanging inside my closet.
I took one from the cabinet and help it close to my body as I looked at myself from the mirror.
“Like it?”, My Dad asked with a smile. I was so happy that I wasn’t able to utter any word, so I just opted to hug him instead.
“I told you that you just have to be patient.”, I heard my Mom say while she walked beside us.
“Make us proud, okay kiddo?”, was the last thing I heard from my Dad before him and my Mom went down stairs to catch up and leave me to my thoughts.
I couldn’t believe it was finally happening-- my own dream coming true.
I was just so young back then; very eager to see what life outside the house has to offer. How I would finally get the chance to become normal, to have friends of my own, and to discover what life has to offer me.
If I only knew that life had so many surprises, I would’ve taken precaution.
But it is what it is, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
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