Last week, a group of French students together with their teachers from the European International School in Manila visited Coco Beach for their vacation and educational field trip. The  students are in Grade 7 and 12 yrs old.

The students and teachers at the Mangyan Village

Students are Erwan Laulagnet, Hick Carlos, Heuze Adelle, Beck Laura, Tissot Tanitha, Geraldine Iserentant, Siam Streibl, Andrej Dolonivs, Estelle Anselme, Noemy Chenier, Benjamin Albert, Epiphanie Guicheteau, Xavier Gianni, Julien Carrozza, Josh Grassi and Albert Benoit. The teachers are Marylene Edet, Axel Metouso and Christell Laulagnet.
 
As part of their educational  trip, the students from Euro Campus  came here to have a glimpse of Mangyan customs and traditions.  Their exposure trip brought them to the Talipanan Mangyan Village and Mangyan School w/ our Mountain Guide Edwin who happens to be a Mangyan himself  and very proud of it.

Students at the Talipanan Mangyan School

Talipanan is home to the Iraya, one of the seven tribes of  Mangyan here in Mindoro. There the students  interviewed  the principal, Mrs. Rebecca Presentacion who  has been a school teacher  for more than 25 years. Issues  like  lack of textbooks and school supplies, facilities, school uniforms  for the students, as well as the dedication of the teachers and the students  to attend classes were discussed during the interview. The students also took a video  of the entire proceeding and they are planning to show it to everyone in campus. Then the group gave  biscuits  and cookies  to the children who were playing in the village. 

Grabbing some fresh fruits during their lunch at the Tamaraw Falls

Lunch  was at the Tamaraw Falls about 40 minutes away from Talipanan where the group  had  a delicious spread of barbecued items like fish, pork and chicken together with fresh  salad greens, ripe mangoes, pineapples and watermelons  for dessert.  While waiting for lunch to be ready, the  students  played some  games  or sang songs  and  watched  the waters of Tamarraw  cascade down  to the swimming pools.

During their tour, one woman shows how the weaved baskets are done

In the afternoon, the Euro Campus group proceeded  to another Mangyan Village, the Bangko Mangyan Village located in  Bagong Pook where one of Coco Beach’s  Mangyan projects  can be found. This is also Edwin’s village and he happily introduced his family to the teachers and students. Here also you will find the Tadjawan  tribe of Mangyans. Unlike the Iraya, with  curly hair, almond-shaped  eyes  and  dark skin tone, the Tadjawan  Mangyan has fairer complexion, with  straight hair and slit-eyes.

Mangyan crafts on display and makes a great souvenir

The students  with their teachers trekked up the mountain side and along the way were treated to a spectacular view of  the town proper of Puerto Galera with its  houses, low rise buildings  and  church set  amidst  a backdrop of clear blue waters  and verdant hills and mountains. The group  was also treated  to a simple Mangyan meal  consisting of  fresh coconut juice, boiled  bananas, sweet yams  and taro and  the crunchiest salad made from  wild ferns (pako),  with  vinegar, salt and pepper, garlic  and a little sugar for  its dressing. The native salad  was a hit among the teachers  of Eurocampus.

Once again, long time friends and brothers-in-law Ole Andersen and Ole Jensen visited Coco Beach for their 26th time, together with their wives Vibeke Andersen and Lis Jensen (Ole Andersen’s sister). The  two Oles would  come and visit Coco Beach every year for their vacation.

Ole and Ole's families at Rodel's House

This time, Ole & Vibeke’s three daughters were with them together with their families. Charlotte and her husband Claus Jensen and kids Casper & Clara (2nd time), Birgitte and her husband Anders Hansen – Hoeck and kids Jonathan & Anna (1st time) and Louise and her husband Jacob Karlstad and kids Christoffer & Victoria (1st time).

Their grandchildren while giving stuffed toys at Sinandigan

Each time they visit, they always have something for the children living in the island. During their visit last October 2009, they donated chairs and beautiful stuffed toys to the students  of the Holy Family Day Care Center in Aguada, Puerto Galera.

This time,  on their  26th visit, they gave beautiful stuffed toys to the children of Barangay Sinandigan. They also had a beautiful  lunch under the mango tree at Rodel’s house. Rodel is the Dining Supervisor and you can also Dine Under the Mango Tree at his house as it is one of our 101 Activities

Would you like to learn more  dance steps? Or just indulge in the joys of ballroom dancing? Coco Beach has a new and young ballroom dance instructor. Her name is Milcah and she is one of our new Activity Guides and coordinators. Milcah  is an expert in ballroom dancing and  has  joined  competitions before. She can easily teach  you the cha-cha  and the rhumba  as well as the swing and  the waltz.

Milcah (in white) shows her students the proper footworks

Last week, she had four students at the resort and they had a great time with  Milcah  teaching them the steps. It was  a fun activity  for everyone but  the  couple from Germany, Jan and Brigitte Mitchelle wowed everyone when they showed their Latin dance moves. Brigitte is a dance teacher in Germany and is very good in Latin dances.

Jan and Brigitte wows everyone with their moves

After the dance lessons  with the other guests, Brigitte gave a few advice and tips to Milcah which  she could use in her next ballroom dancing lessons. Get those feet moving with Milcah and join the free Ballroom Dancing Lessons!