The 3 day staff retreat was a rollercoast ride for me and very very tiring. I went with pretty high expectations and was sent crashing to reality on the very first day after the ED's speech. But the good thing is, at the end of the retreat, i felt rejuvenated again and i sincerely believe there is a fighting chance for this organization to undergo necessary changes to become better. I am glad to have a chance to meet and talk to people i normally have no chance to meet. And i am especially touched by my principal's gestures to make me feel better after i shared with her my feelings after the first day. It was good to know that my committment and passion for my job has been taken seriously. The saving grace also came when the ED sat in in our department's discussion on the last day and i could see that she genuinely likes to resolve the current issues revolving around our organization. That dissipated my original disillusion that nothing will be done to invoke the necessary changes. Perhaps the best thing that came out of this retreat is knowing that there are no enemies except for those you made yourself. I think i am ready to tackle whatever that is necessary head on and feel comfortable in the department again.

On a personal level, i am very happy to made new friends (e.g. Fiona, the new OT) and get to know my "old" friends better. Angela has been a great roomie with her abundant packets of tea and milo. And i had a great night on sunday where a few teachers gathered in our room to play silly games and laughed our head off. I think nothing beats having a sense of belonging with the people you work with and enjoying what you do. I am quite ready to work towards a better organization because all these people (from ED to HOD to teachers to friends) matters to me A LOT. So i guess i am staying put here for a while more.

That said, I still wish you all the best IF you decide to go Pathlight but only if they can make you laugh like the way we do over here in RC. *smiles*