Ready, Set, Late: The Adventure Begins

Sun, Fun, and Teamwork Done: CC Team Building, Nikiti 2024

Gather around the heart, people! We’re about to take you on a journey through our amazing team-building trip to Nikiti, Greece! 🙌🏼 Let’s face it: team building can, quite frankly, be bland! To prove you wrong, we’ll go through these 200 passages! 📖 Joke aside, there are only a few, and it will take up to 10 minutes of your precious time!

Now, let’s go through it!

Day 1: The Beginning

We gathered at the bus stop early Friday morning with our luggage in hand, ready to roll at 08:00 sharp. 🕗 Knowing it’s rocket science for us to be on time, we left at 08:30. 🤣 Only half an hour late, but a record when dealing with so many people! We all have our flaws, but 100+ people to be on time is a mission impossible. However, we made it possible, and with the fantastic team from Simbiotika, we were officially ready to be “team-built.” 🎉

Games on the Go

The bus ride wasn’t just any trip; it was more like a party on wheels. 🥳 During it, we played “Who am I?” where everyone tried to guess the mystery person, no matter if it was a colleague or a celebrity. Things escalated quickly into chaotic fun as we scrambled to guess when some celebrity photos popped up!

Next, we were thrown into a survival scenario, imagining ourselves stranded in the middle of the ocean in a boat. 🚨 Spoiler alert: If this had been real, we’d be long gone by now. Thank goodness it was just a game! 😆

Angels Among Us: The Secret Angel

Simbiotika also introduced us to the “Secret Angel” game, and it’s like they truly knew us because taking care of each other is what we do best at CodeChem. Everyone had a secret angel looking out for them, doing little acts of kindness. 💞

It reflects how we support each other, whether grabbing a coffee ☕ for a colleague or offering a listening ear when someone’s down. And yes, even though “we’re a family” 🙄 sounds cringy, we spend so much time together at work that it feels spot on.

But let’s get back to the subject! ✍🏼

Finally There: First Beach Impressions

We arrived in Nikiti in the afternoon, checked into the hotel, and headed straight for the beach without missing a beat. Our initial reaction? The beach was fantastic, and the view was absolutely breathtaking. 🏖️ After a tiring journey, we decided to take it easy and plan activities everyone could enjoy.

Whether it was volleyball, frisbee, archery, spike ball, swimming, or just lounging on the beach, 🏐 🏹 🥏 🪷 🪸it was amazing to see everyone getting involved in the fun. The sunset was spectacular, and thanks to the talented photographer, we have some postcard-worthy photos to remember it by. 📸 🌆 ✨

Hula and Limbo Madness 🌺💮💃

Did we go to Hawaii, or was it still Nikiti? Yup, we had a themed party, dressed in traditional Hawaiian Leis and haku leis, and had a competition in Hula dance. Turns out, our dance moves are out of this world. But that wasn’t all; we also had a Limbo contest.

Shoutout to Alek, the most flexible person on the planet, for dominating the Limbo!

The night wasn’t over after the dancing. Board games kept the energy alive, and it was amazing to see how conversations and laughter flowed even between people who had only known each other over a short period of time.

Day 2: The Shipwrights

Day two started with breakfast, salty coffee included because, you know, the tap water in Nikiti is a little bit salty. 😂 🚰 We tried to see the bright side, though, treating it as an extra dose of electrolytes to supercharge our bodies for the day ahead. With our energy levels high (thanks, salty coffee!), Simbiotika divided us into teams for the “Cardboard Boat Building Challenge” with a twist. 🤔

While each team received specialized equipment, tools, and detailed blueprints for crafting their boats, we also had to hunt for hidden objects on the beach to complete our creations. A little scavenger hunt never hurt anyone, right?

One thing’s for sure: we get seriously competitive when it comes to any challenge. But despite the rivalry, we’re always fair and polite, and believe it or not, we still love each other! Of course, that doesn’t mean we didn’t pull out all the stops to win. 🌟💪🥇

When the boats were finally built, it was clear that teamwork truly made the dream work. Not only did every boat float, but the creativity in their design and execution was impressive. 🛶 🛠️ The flags waved proudly, and the team names? Hilarious! We had everything from the prehistoric "Nendertalci" to the not-so-optimistic "Titanic." ⚐

And the Winner Is…

Congrats to “Brodolom” who won the first place! 🥇 Milan definitely nailed the sweep rowing skills, 🚣 but let’s not forget that every team member played a crucial role; just like in our work, cooperation was vital because your boat is bound to sink without it.

The fun didn’t end there! After the boat race, we dove into the Beach Olympics, with different teams battling for the top spots. Post-Olympics, we split into three groups to tackle the next set of challenges. 🎖️

Artistic Avant-Garde

There was one cool corner near the pool bar where Simbiotika set up a whole place for “Paint & Sip,” which also had a twist; everything about this team building was with a twist. 🎨🍷 It was hilarious and heartwarming to see how our colleagues interpreted us. Some arts were true masterpieces, while others… well, let’s just say they belong in a meme gallery! 🤭🥰🙈

CodeChem Survival

One group ventured off into the wilderness (well, not too far) to learn some essential survival skills. We learned how to orient ourselves if we got lost in the great outdoors and Bojan from Simbiotika taught us how to set up a tent, 🏕️ pack for backpacking, ⛰ and, best of all, try military food. It might not have been gourmet, but hey, at least we know how to set up a tent for the next music festival or survive a surprise adventure. 𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟

Exploring Emotional Intelligence

The opportunity to explore emotional intelligence in a truly engaging way was great. Lazar from Simbiotika led an interesting workshop where we learned that emotions can be powerful assets when understood and managed correctly. 🫶🏻 One key takeaway was that if you're struggling to identify an emotion, you should pause, close your eyes, reflect on your feelings, and then define what’s happening internally. 😌

Empathy as Strength

We also discussed how empathy, far from being a weakness, allows us to better understand the motivations behind people’s actions. 💞 However, knowing your limits is important, as well as ensuring that empathy doesn’t lead you to repeat the same mistakes or situations.

Lazar emphasized the importance of balancing emotions in decision-making—knowing when to lead with your heart ❤️ when to rely on your head,🧠 and, more importantly, how to combine both effectively.

Understanding and Helping Others

Emotional intelligence, at its core, involves helping others by not dismissing their words but by truly stepping into their shoes, understanding their perspective, and then, if possible, offering support. 🤝 Sitting by the beach, we practiced active listening techniques and discussed how emotional intelligence enhances team dynamics.

Despite the workshop’s intensity, the open discussions made it a memorable experience. Afterward, we treated ourselves to a refreshing swim, soaking in the warmth of the Indian summer. 🌊 It was the kind of moment that made you pause and appreciate both the company and the calm, a perfect balance to all the heavy lifting we’d done with our emotions earlier.

Coachella: The Surprise on the Agenda

When we saw "Coachella" on the agenda, questions buzzed—what could it mean? Soon enough, we got some festive outfits again from Simbiotika, 🎊 and the event started with a twist—a Kahoot quiz about how well you know your colleagues. It was a personal and, yes, fiercely competitive challenge that had everyone on edge, revealing just how much (or little!) we all knew about each other.

Balloons & Battles: Let the Games Begin

The evening escalated with even more fun and games: cup stacking with balloons, a hilarious Head-Hoop Basketball challenge, and the ultimate showdown: a Dance Battle! 🎈💃🎈

In pairs, we had to keep a balloon between us while dancing to various music genres. The last couple that managed to keep the balloon intact the longest won the battle without it popping or falling. Of course, there were prizes, medals, and loads of laughter as the night progressed.🏅🏅🏆🏆

Bioluminescense, Adolescence

As the party continued under the stars, the vibe turned into a beachside jam session. 🏖️ Instruments came out, 🎸 songs were sung, ♫♫ and stories were shared. Midway through, someone noticed the algae glowing in the water and dropped the news like it was no big deal. 🌊✨✨🌱 ✨

Turns out, those glowing dinoflagellates are pretty important marine microbes. They light up when something strange happens in their environment, kind of like us after too much karaoke. 🎤 🎙 Luckily, only a few species are actually toxic, so we were safe.

Plus, did you know that 70% of marine animals produce bioluminescence, too? Some use it to attract prey, others to navigate the deep waters. Pretty cool stuff, and no, this wasn’t just the wine talking. For the science nerds among us, here’s a research to dive deeper!

Day 3

The Return: Reflecting, Relaxing and Heading Home

We started the final morning with a peaceful yoga session, during which a few of our colleagues stretched out and embraced the tranquility of the early hours. 🤸‍♀️🧘‍♀️ You could tell how relaxed they were; some even showed up in their pajamas (because why not?) 🛏️

After breakfast, we gathered for a closing talk—sharing impressions, reflections, and lessons learned. It was heartening to see everyone fully engaged as we reinforced our commitment to supporting each other. This team-building experience will stay with us long into the future. 💫

We began our journey back to Skopje with everything packed and checked out. The bus ride was filled with laughter and games, particularly a never-ending association game where "Is it Galichica?" became the running joke; 🤣🤣 someone would ask, another didn’t hear, so they’d ask again, keeping the fun going. Meanwhile, the other bus turned into a lively sing-along, making those five hours fly by in a flash. 🎤♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ﾟ.

Conclusion: A Journey to Remember

As we wrapped up our adventure, it was clear this trip was more than just team-building. It was an unforgettable journey that brought us closer in unique and fun ways. From the competitive games and hilarious moments to the deep emotional discussions and early yoga sessions, we experienced it all, and we did it together.

Big thanks to Simbiotika for organizing such an unforgettable experience and for taking care of us every step of the way. You somehow managed to bring us even closer together while keeping up with our endless jokes, endless energy, and so many different personalities! But we could tell you were having just as much fun as we were… and that’s saying something!

Here’s to more adventures, unforgettable memories, and even stronger teamwork in the future!

And for those who missed the fun (or just want to relive it), here’s a video capturing all the best moments of the chaos. Trust us, it’s definitely worth the watch! 🎥 😂

❤️, CodeChem