Staff Retreat

Each summer our office has a staff retreat to disengage from the hamster wheel (as my boss puts it) reconnect, renew, and prepare for the next academic year to come. Last year we had it at the UCR Botanic Gardens, which was fun, especially because we had a scavenger hunt, and this year they really stepped it up a notch by having it at the Mission Inn.

The day always starts with our boss treating us to Starbucks (can you say venti?) then we drove down to the Mission Inn for the day. Aside from goal setting, reflection, strategizing and encouragement, we also played games, watched a documentary, had lunch at the Mission Inn Restaurant, and got to take a tour of the Mission Inn, which I had never done, and learned a lot! (Did you know the 8 stained glass windows in the chapel are straight from Mr. Tiffany of Tiffany's & Co. himself?)

I can't get this to go vertical, but that's a glockenspiel at the top

Here's the staff ascending the rotunda to our conference room. Our boss at the top, followed by all her little ducklings, me first (remember I'm blonde now?)

I was exhausted by the end of the day but it really makes me appreciate my job and love my boss and the staff a little more. And it helped me to remember why I love this job (the students!)