I’ve never been a beach-person. I don’t really get too excited with the thought of going to a resort but the recent team building we had was worth a treasure chest of memories. And after that, I don’t know if I’d want to be with another team.

It was planned for more than a month and the date was moved more times than players in a game of musical chairs were when finally it was decided that November 23-24, 2005 will be our outing dates.

Wednesday

November 23, 2005

At exactly 7:30 AM, I logged out from my phone and punched out of my sched. Mind you, I’m not that excited. Hehehe. It’s not really the thought of going to the beach that excites me but just spending two days with my new “family”.

I changed my clothes coz I can’t go to the beach in business attire. We waited for the rest of the team to arrive and for our vans to fetch us. There were 18 of us including our team leader. Then along came her friend and one of our team mates brought along her daughter and nanny. So after more than an hour wait, we were on our way to Moalboal, to our team leader’s beach resort. Get ready now for a 2 hour drive.

On the way to Moalboal, which by the way is a beautiful diving spot in Cebu, there was a lot of talking. As if we never get tired of talking. Anyway, that’s our job right? To talk . . . a lot. But I was so tired from last night’s work so I tried to sleep. Well, I was able to for an hour or so but then I suddenly felt like I was pushed back and forth. That’s when I realized that we were already in our version of Baguio in Cebu (read: zigzag). Kinda got dizzy at that point. Anyhow, it just faded away when we realized that we already there. So there was a separate cottage for the girls and the boys. It was still kinda hot when we got there being that it was almost noontime so we just opted to stay indoors talk, play cards and wait for lunch. Food was great by the way. After lunch, the guitar was taken out of its case and there were some singing. When the weather cool enough (thanks to our singing) to go to the waters, my team mates enjoyed there time in the waters. I was not able to join them because I don’t know how to swim and I don’t want to ruin my newly straightened and cellophaned hair. I was content to watch them having fun. It was really dark when they came out of the waters. Don’t think I was not able to take a nap in between activities coz I was. An hour’s sleep is actually enough to get me reenergized.

Evening came and we’re still like energizer bunnies. We just kept going and going and going with all the fun. I tried to rest in the girl’s cottage after dinner but after a few minutes, I was called to go out and join the drinking session. Red Horse was opened here and there and “tagay” time na. But after 5 half-filled glasses, I passed. Better stop while I still know what I was doing. But of course I didn’t retreat to the cottage. In fact I stayed much longer. Well, I was content eating chips and singing along with the guitar. But after a while, some of us were already drunk, but the fun never stops there. Actually, it was almost cut short when a couple of American oldies came up to us and asked when the party will stop because they want “some peace and quiet”. To borrow some of my team mates’ words “irate customers are everywhere”. Did that stop us? Of course not. We transferred to the boys’ cottage. I like their cottage a lot coz it was like a home by the beach. Something like Leonardo Di Caprio’s house in the beach. The ladies’ cottage was only like a room. Anyway, so we transferred to the guys’ cottage. Also because three of us don’t have any room in the ladies’ ottage. Even in trying to sleep, the “kakulitan” never stops. What do you expect when boys get together? But we almost forgot something.

Thursday

November 24, 2005

At exactly 12 midnight, we woke Mommy Beth up to greet her a happy birthday. And we did not actually meant to do it but after we greeted Mommy Beth, we headed back to the cottage to sleep. But the birthday celebrant thought there was still some more drinking. So what did she do? She went to the boys’ cottage pulled each of us out of the beds (just when I was drifting to dreamland) and dragged to the nearest billiard hall.

So after a game and a few bottles of beer, we took off and looked for. . . a videoke bar. Of course, what’s a night out with friends without having a concert, right? So, of course, I felt energized again with the videoke. After belting out a few songs, we called it a night (or was that early morning?). Mommy Beth went back to the ladies’ cottage. Jan, Mel and I went back to the guys’ cottage. We were the last to get in so, obviously, we ran out of space in the bedroom. The solution? Sleep in the living room. Jan, being a gentleman, allowed Mel and I to sleep on the sofa and he slept in the couch. I didn’t even know if he was able to sleep. Anyway, to cut the long story short, we only had 2 hours of sleep. Yah, after a long night, only 2 hours of sleep.

When everyone was already awake and full after breakfast, off we go to island hopping. We went to Pescadores Island. It’s so beautiful. The water was so clear. Great for snorkeling and diving. The place was simply . . awesome. Some of my team mates went swimming. Some of us stayed in the boat. But the bottom line is we really had fun. After we went back from Pescadores, we got ready for lunch and got ready to leave.

So we went back to the busy hustle and bustle of the city. But at least for two days, we forgot our worries and really enjoyed each other’s company. Well, I don’t know if two days were enough but if you ask me, I hope another team building comes in our way. I would definitely love the change in atmosphere and it definitely made us closer in our team.