It’s been quite a year since the pandemic hit. Being a fully remote company from the very start, the “new normal” wasn’t much of a stretch for us. What was different, however, was the fact that we couldn’t meet as often as we used to. We used to enjoy spending time together at frequent team gatherings and events. It’s always been vital for our company for us to meet often. The real, live, human interaction is as important as ever and is sometimes what we need to come up with new concepts and ideas. All of that changed in the past year. The good news is that we have finally managed to do it again this past week. Following the easing of restrictions and the favorable situation, a much-needed team retreat was organized. Needless to say, everyone was more than excited.
The Destination
Our team members are based in various locations across Bulgaria and Europe. Therefore, we have decided that Plovdiv would be a great option for us all to gather again. Not only because of its convenient location but also because of the great activities it offers. A place full of history and culture, but also great nightlife and adventure sports and activities which is what we all love.
Kicking it all off at a brewery
Once we all arrived in Plovdiv our very first activity was dedicated to something we all love – beer. What better way to start? We visited one of the city’s symbols – the old Kamenitsa brewery. We were led on a tour around the oldest brewery in Bulgaria, followed by a beer tasting. The brewing beer excitement got us all ready for dinner at the brewery. We had an incredible beer-themed evening and a great start to our 3-day adventure in Plovdiv.
Getting Adventurous
We’ve all agreed that day 2 of our team retreat was the ultimate highlight of this trip. All of us at Motion Software, love sports and adventure activities and we are all about promoting a healthy yet exciting lifestyle. However, we were not ready for what was about to happen. We headed to a remote location among abandoned mines and buildings. That’s where we were greeted by the team of Airsoft Plovdiv who have prepared an incredible military simulation for our team to enjoy. This turned into a 3-hour long game of running and shooting under the blistering sun. We got so into it that it was hard for us to finish the game.
Picnic
After the game, we had time to relax and enjoy a quality lunch out in the open, organized by our community manager Lubomira Stoynova who had planned it all out. We were treated to a perfect blend of healthy organic food, music, nature, and great company.
Following our lunch, there was one more surprise.
The Shooting
While still at the location we got surprised with yet another cool activity – shooting with guns and machine guns. We were carefully guided by our hosts and had so much fun. Some great shots also came out of it.
To top it all off, once we got back to the city, we had an incredible dinner and night out which was much needed after staying at home for many months.
Exploring Plovdiv
On our last day, we had the pleasure of exploring the beauty of Plovdiv’s old town. However, it wasn’t a regular tour as we were guided by our very own Ivan Dimitrov. Apart from being Motion Software’s Head of Product, he is now also famous for his tour guiding skills.
The End
All good things come to an end. However, we aren’t too sad because we have already started planning our next team retreat. This time around we’ll be heading to the Black Sea coast. We’ll keep you posted!
