Out for a While

At first, I hesitated joining for a number of reasons: (1) I might not know the people going anyway (but I realized that was the main reason of the event - to meet and know new people) (2) my father refused to drive 60 miles for me since he said he is not familiar with the place and he’s not that confident in driving in UK motorway yet – so how much more for a new driver? (3) I have dimensioning deliverables due for the end of the week. But, I have signed up for this months ago and it’s a shame if I cancel at the last minute and our team leader gave me the go-signal. Most importantly, it will be held in an old historical castle right in the heart of the forest. Just my kind of thing hence I decided to join after all!!!

So last Monday, 4th of September, I found myself sharing a ride with our lady project manager and off to Berkhamstead in Hertfordshire for a two-day teambuilding for UK and Ireland Consulting and Integrating Group. It was facilitated by Ashridge – a management school offering executive education and held at Ashridge House – a castle set in a 150-acre country estate and in a course of a history spanning for 700 years, it has been the home of a religious order, then briefly a royal residence of Henry VIII and eventually her daughter Elizabeth I. Later, it became a mansion for dukes and earls including the Duke of Bridgewater. And this is mainly the reason why I decided to join. The moment I stepped in, my small eyes widen in amazement - the place is truly posh and historical.

Ashridge House


Main Entrance leading to the Grand Hall

The other side of the castle


One of the many beautiful gardens - just my kind of hues


Such a neat and well-trimmed garden


Going back to the teambuilding, it was fun and instructive. We had a balance of room discussion and idea sharing, which aided the getting-to-know you stage, and physical and outdoor activities where we went to the woods and had the usual games and challenges (like tight-rope walking, spiderweb challenge, and all those usual teambuilding stuffs) that facilitated the whole idea of cooperation and working as a team. The fun part is getting to know people and associating names read in emails with rightful faces.

Later in the evening, we all went to change for evening clothes and gathered in the main hall for cocktail and a 4-course sit-down dinner. It was just so majestic that I literally felt that I was some kind of a royalty. The food and the setting were just the best combination. It was a dream-come-true. Though as the evening deepen, some of my colleagues, just can’t get enough of the overflowing wine, made a mess of themselves that somehow ruined the regal scene (Brits and their obsession for liquor). But it was still a good laugh, anyhow. (As much as I wanted to take pictures of the great hall and dinner that evening, I was not able to because of a funny and embarrassing reason. huhu!!!)

After some glasses of wine and slight intoxication, I retired to my suite and thank the Lord for a wonderful experience and looking forward to more fantastic days such as this.