Summer is not summer without the sun slowly burning your epidermis. So, as usual, the day started with me hiding from the shadows of the buildings acting like a superhero or a total fool as I raced against time to save the world. But that's just me singing to Maddona and Justin T's 4 Minutes.

Anyway, I was on my way to the assembly area for our team building activity. Unlike before, I was armed with a wristwatch I stole from my brother. It was a magical wristwatch which gave me magical time-noticing abilities. Time-noticing, new word!

With time on my hands I even got to sing 'Happy' on my way to the school. So, aside from the wristwatch, I've got an old backpack my Mom prepared for me because I don't know how to pack shit! lol.

Grabbed from my IG: Follow me @immarkable

So I finally arrived. But even before I could actually step into the premises of the school I saw two familiar faces along the way. They were the lead organizers of the team building, Jazmine and Jason, and they were just on their way to look for a jeep that would bring us all to Sasa Ferry Wharf; and from the Wharf to Samal Island.

When I finally got inside the school I saw a group of people crowd under the shades of a small tree at the school quadrangle a.k.a Farmville. I'm usually friendly and all but it was just so freaking hot outside that I decided to go inside the SSG office.

After a while I went out to check if my co-ITE legislators, Anna and Kim, has arrived already and they did. So I went to them and we talked a bit about pretty much random stuff but it's mostly about Kim Wong's killer bangs and how I kind of hate 'selfies'. They brought it up when I used my front camera as a mirror. Kim insisted I was doing a selfie so I turned the tables and swore to the old and new Gods that I will pick on Kim's bangs for the rest of the team building. So Anna and I started making jokes about Kim Bangs until BANGS PANES! The jeepney has arrived.

JEEP

So the jeepney ride was just like any other long and boring jeepney rides. It was hot, dusty and the tall grey commercial buildings provided nothing but despair. As expected everyone got a free face powder at the end of the ride.

FERRYBOAT

The locals call it barge but actually it's a ferryboat because it carries passengers as well as vehicles. A barge is built mainly for carrying heavy goods in rivers and canals and we're at the sea so therefore we rode a ferry to get to Samal Island.

Check the top right photo - if you see IT!

Like duh? It's called Ferry wharf for a reason!

Anyway, it wasn't the first time I've gotten aboard a Ferryboat. I think it was my third and I didn't feel seasick this time. Just my luck!

MAHAN GARDEN BEACH RESORT


So our final destination was a resort called Mahan Garden Beach Resort. It is located at Barangay Caliclic, Babak District, Island Garden City of Samal. It was my first time in that resort so I googled about it the night before and I got what I expected.

It wasn't much but they have a spacious front yard where most of the activities could take place.

Sounds fair enough.

My blogger instincts turned on so I toured around and took photos of the tree-houses, gazebos and of course the beach. As expected for Samal beaches, Mahan Garden offers a good white sand beach and inviting blue waters. That's good enough for me.

PROGRAM PROPER

So the program kicked off with some welcome speeches from the organizers and from the SSG moderator Ms. Anaflor Sacopayo. Then we were grouped and like I mentioned on my previous post, I lead team called 'Powerpuff Girls with Mojo-Jojo'. It is composed of 6 girls and 2 boys with me being Mojo. You can connect the dots!

Image Credit: Bottom Left & Right photos c/o Bella Bundan.

It was then followed by a bizarre activity headed by a guest speaker where we were asked to dance some kind of ritual or something. I didn't get the name of the said exercise but it sounded Chinese and the exercise itself was like a mix of yoga, tai chi and kung pao chicken.

Ohh..my mistake, I got hungry writing this! Sorry, I meant shaolin kung fu!

As the activity progressed, things got weirder and weirder with all the clapping and chanting but it's not without any value because the activity is made so that the groups and its members will bond. It also established more 'getting to know' with our teammates, like we got to know who's the competitive, the know-it-all, the thinker et al. More activities followed but I just feel the need to mention the dramatic chops of the execs who tested everyone's patience and temper by acting like a pain-in-the-ass. Like, bitches on the beach!

TEAM BUILDING SET 1

So this is it pancit!

I was running towards the front yard with my girls and the other groups. The moment we got there, we were briefed about mechanics of the game called 'Stepping Stones'. So the mechanics of Stepping Stones is simply that all members of a group should get across the other side of the garden without touching the ground. A line was drawn on the other side for obvious reasons. But here's the catch! Everyone must run to the far side of the garden and choose their 'stepping stones' from a pile of rocks, tiles and well - stones!

Image Credit: Bella Bundan

We thought it was going to be easy and I think it was. But we had to repeat three times because one of my girls couldn't get her balance right. lol. But to be fair, we got the wrong set of 'stones'. We got some big tiles yes, but we also have rocks with rough and edgy surfaces making it almost impossible to maintain equilibrium. It was the first activity so we kind of felt bad about being the last to finish but one of the execs, Jason, told us that even though we finished last, we finished the fastest. So we felt good ulet! lol. Bipolar lang. Hahaha!

The second game was the most aggravating of all. It's called Helium and it really tests one's patience. Something that I really don't have. So the objective of the game is to lower this hula hoop to the ground with each of the member holding out a finger where the hula hoop can rest. It's still about balancing and all. If your finger doesn't touch the bottom of the hula hoop then someone would blow a loud whistle into your ears, into your nerves and shatter your brain! DO IT AGAIN!

Image Credit:  Bella Bundan

One of the powerpuffs, Alysa, told us she played this game before so we decided to go with her strategy. She took the lead and told us to trust her, told us to close our eyes but it was damn hard for me! In a tricky situation with one of your senses off you're probably as good as dead. So it didn't work out like she wanted and we're sorry about that but things just don't work out the first time.

So we changed our strategy. To be honest we really didn't have any real strategy. But with our eyes wide open we started talking, we started communicating, with respect to Alysa we still listened to her every word. Then Karen spoke, and I did too because I almost had a heart-attack when my finger almost lost contact with the hula. It did several times, I got caught several times and I almost lost hope. But then we realized we couldn't possibly lower it all at the same time or one at a time, it needs two to three person to move and then wait for the other side to move. It's like maintaining a healthy relationship, there should be give and take! Char Baki!

And before we know it, we were on the ground already. Yes! We were last again but what matters is that we made it. I just wanted it done to be honest! But we made it. :D

NIGHT TIME

After dinner everyone was invited to head over the function hall for a Night Jam. Later on, everyone went to the beach where they prepared a cult-ish arrangement of candles and torches. lol. Seriously, it was a cool set-up. The kind that reminds you of the TV show 'Survivor'. It was supposed to be campfire but for some reasons campfires are prohibited. I don't know what this portion is called but I referred to it as the "Intimate candlelit Sharing by the Beach" in my previous post. That pretty much describes the whole affair. Everyone opened up, except for a few others like me and my co ITE legislators who never got the chance to talk but it was okay because we were really sleepy by then and our stories would never amount to any of the sob stories shared by the others.


Even so, I liked this part of the Team Building because I love listening to stories and I could relate to some especially with stopping school, financial trials, weight problems, and someone shared about being a rover scout! Woot. It was just nice to know that you are not alone in this world. Not ever!

After that I went to the girl's dormitory to avail of the free wifi by Ilovekaye. I also stopped by the function hall where some of my co-participants where watching the indie film 'Yanggaw'. Finally, I hit the sack! And there ends the first day of the Team Building! :D

Anyway, here's a video of our Team Building Day 1 compiled and edited by Viennarz Curtiz.