CFA Retreat

Got pulled to attend this retreat on behalf of EML (Electronic Music Lab), a cca under nus, as "Logistics and Tech Manager".

This retreat was held on Tuesday, 18 Jul to Wednesday, 19 Jul at the Elizabeth Hotel, a quaint little place for (mostly) ang mohs with that classy feeling. Invited are the new excos of the various CFA performing groups.

Well, i ain't no exco... especially for a cca which i have been mostly MIA all the while.. but my year there were only two of us, me and another guy, so no choice. =(

Anyway, i was "ohmygod, moretimewasted!" at the start, but then after check-in and attending all their seminar-style briefings in the seminar room at lvl 2 complete with wholesome (and numerous) teas, nice lunches and free-flow beverages, and a nice waiter service, ok maybe this wasn't so bad after all.

It felt like an orientation camp, just that it was held in a hotel. and the rules have just changed: new exco members (mostly coming yr2s, same as me) were the "campers", and the CFA people
(yes!) were the "OGLs". After being thru nvac camp, pharm camp, odac camp, this was the fourth "camp" that i had been to.

Yes, initially, the xenophobia hit again, i didn't want to mingle too much. but as we had to work together in various activities, we naturally had to mingle. made a few nice friends (or future "connections") from various ccas in CFA, as we talked of collaborating with each other.

i also met PuayKee (PK) from jazz band (previously my junior from NJCSB) and Kiang Choon (KC) from piano ensemble (previously a friend from NJC). what a small world. guess everyone likes to be called their initials now.. i'm YQ by the way, and my indian friend is MR. lol

Anyway, activities included:
icebreakers,
intro talks to CFA (brainwashing I),
marketing talks by the marcom (marketing communications) dept (brainwashing II),
leadership talks and activities (which were rather good),
interactions and whatnot.

basically, it was a good experience, i can't deny that. esp the hotel rooms, i've never stayed in a singaporean hotel room for as long as i can remember (maybe 10 years or more). brings back fond memories of when my dad used to bring the entire family to stay in hotels around the island. also the leadership talks were quite useful as well as the tapes about leadership that they showed. quite an insight, was thinking if i had watched these stuff before FOC then maybe it couldn't have screwed up so badly.

bad points are: the constant talk about getting money for CFA groups, well by CFA. the constant emphasis on marketing. essentially a good part was like mkt1003 (Principles of Marketing) revisited. why does cfa need so much money?? hmmmmmm. and if they need money, why do they bother to spend so much on about 30-40 people in such a lavish setting?? such extravagance.

hmm. it smells of a sinister plot. ha.