One of the events I attended way back 2016 is called Recharge. This was held in Caliraya, Laguna, one of our local destinations here in Philippines. It's a spiritual activity known as retreat here which is usually one of the activities in Catholic schools here. I honestly find the typical retreat boring. We just close our eyes and reflect then your classmates cry and nothing happens after that. But this one I attended is a lot better and it's really fun because it's filled with learnings while you enjoy the buffet meals for 3 days. It's an event with a travel on the side as well.
LEARNING FROM EXCELLENT SPEAKERS
What I appreciate a lot in this activity is that it's filled with learnings because they discuss the different aspects of life. It's way better than the retreat we usually have when I was a student. It feels like you are attending a seminar. Different speakers discussed about physical, emotional, finances, spiritual and social aspects of life. I like the practical tips we learned from them. No drama, just fun yet filled with learnings. This speaker in the photo is Maricel Laxa, one of the veteran actresses here in Philippines. She discussed about the emotional aspect and she emphasized the importance of self development. After the discussions, we maximized the facilities of the venue with the mini olympics held by our leaders.
THE FUN-FILLED MINI OLYMPICS
A few hours after having our lunch, the mini olympics started. I was so amazed with this activities. It's the first time I've seen an extreme set of games. This is more intense than what I experience in team buildings. The games include running, swimming, and shooting. Here are some of the games I was able to capture while taking photos.
Mud Slide
There are 20 people in each team so selected members play depending on one's abilities. I take pictures each time I'm not the one playing. This mud slide is the first one I captured. It's a very long slide where you will land on a watery mud. In this game, the players will pass on and shoot themselves in the hula hoop without breaking it. If it breaks, the team will repeat everything from scratch. Once this is successfully done, all players will have to slide together in this mud slide. The team with the least time consumed in completing this game wins.
The Obstacle Course
For this game, each player will carry a banana with his mouth and make sure not to drop it so he won't repeat from start. The player will have to go through this obstacle course and shoot the banana on the white bucket. The first team to complete this one wins.
Giant Volleyball Game
This is personally my favorite game. I wish I never had scoliosis so I can play it too. I'm not allowed to lift heavy objects so all I can do is to just enjoy watching the game. It looks really fun seeing my teammates enjoy the thrill of this unique giant volleyball game.
This is played by 6 people of each team. The goal is to throw this huge ball to the opposing team and the other team should catch it and throw it back. Failure to do so, the team who threw the ball will gain a score. The team who gets 3 points first will win. Everyone was screaming throughout the game coz this huge ball is so challenging to catch even when 6 people help each other. I can really feel the thrill.
THE FUN CONTINUES AT NIGHT
After having our dinner, we had a bonding at the bonfire. We just had a simple sharing of different stories while we chill. This is the most relaxing activity we had and it's a good way to digest our heavy dinner before partying. After that, we came back to the hall. The second photo is the moment I captured while we are partying. Some of our teammates performed at the stage. We spent the rest of the night there before we sleep.
OUR LAST DAY
We only had a mass for the morning activity then we spent the remaining time roaming around the place until 2PM. This view is the best one they have. This is the way going to the rooms and dining area. It's an uphill area with long stairs.
THE AIR BIKE
Aside from having a lot of facilities and nice ambiance, you can also enjoy some of their amenities and this air bike is one of them. This is personally my favorite among the amenities. I love to feel the cool breeze while enjoying the aerial view where you can see the lake, the nature, and all the other facilities they have. This amenity costs $4.
A HAPPY MEMORY
The bracelet I'm wearing in this photo is a souvenir from the team. I'm keeping it as a remembrance that reminds me of the fun I had in Caliraya. This activity lives up to its name. You will really feel recharged in many aspects of life after learning and having fun. What I like about the place is that you can enjoy the fresh air because it's mostly nature themed. The place is cool since it's uphill. They have a multi purpose hall for indoor activities. They have a lot of amenities for either team building activities or personal amusement. They also have pools for those who want to swim. The best part is their buffet. They serve local (Filipino) dishes and you can enjoy buffet meals in your entire stay. This 3-day package costs $80 per head. I highly recommend this place to those who want to have team buildings, seminars, adventure, and most of all, to those who have monstrous appetite. This place is really for you.