Rediscovering Malaga in the long-awaited return of our Motivation Day
It has been made to beg, but the wait has been worth it. Paratyworld Motivation Day is back to stay, and we cannot deny that we have taken it with great enthusiasm.
The laughter returned, the jokes on the bus, the confidences, the toasts during the meal, the healthy competitiveness, the complicit glances, the good vibes that we have always displayed. The feelings of belonging to the group, to the team, to the family returned. Because that is what we really are, a family with blood ties, the Paraty DNA runs through our veins. And as such, we all went back to being children for a day.
It was sorely missing. This day, one of the most anticipated of the year, had been inevitably cut short by the Pandemic, that viral flood that has washed away traditions, collapsed bridges and caused the home isolation of more than fifty colleagues. And as the waters have gradually returned to normal, the devastating internal consequences of this health catastrophe have become increasingly evident. Those of us who already knew each other didn't even know how to greet each other. And for the newcomers, it has been like reliving the first day of school... new class, new teacher, new buddies. As we said, it was much needed.
The activity: rediscovering Malaga
The Hotel Puente Real has already become, in some way, the provisioning point prior to the confrontation. It is there where the war strategies are elaborated, the shirt is shown off (each team designs its own and keeps it secret until the last moment) and the bases of the meeting that usually follow the team building dynamics are established. So far, all of us so friendly, immersed in a fictitious truce that makes it impossible to foresee the fierce battle that is to come.
On this occasion, the setting chosen for the activity was the historic center of our beloved Malaga. In the mythical Plaza de la Marina, while the organizers explained to us the different missions that we should complete, the visual contact between captains raised the tension to unsustainable limits. Heels, chants, shouts, photos, videos and a frenetic pace of marching were ahead.
Ipad in hand (what better way to record the experience and liberation lived for posterity), the seven participating teams visited different points of historical and cultural interest in the capital of the Costa del Sol, completing two tests in each of them . What better way to rediscover our residential destination than paying homage to our emperors at the Roman Theatre, jumping for joy with the Alcazaba as a backdrop, pointing incredulously at Antonio Banderas' penthouse, dancing to the Pompidou Museum, taking a selfie with the endearing Cenachero, showing off their artistic knowledge in front of the CAC and the Malaga Museum, making a biznaga wrapped in the scent of jasmine from the Jardines de Pedro Luis Alonso, singing “Málaga La Bombonera” a cappella with the staff of the Málaga CF shop, drinking a "pajarete" in the Old Guard House... All this without ever losing sight of the importance of time and not skipping any stage of the marked circuit. Every detail scored.
They say that the important thing is to participate. However, three hours and more than seven kilometers later, both were unable to hide their satisfaction, or disappointment, as the final classification was revealed. As an anecdote, it is necessary to remember that the "Party Seekers" team won but, above all, friendship won. Tired and happy in equal parts, the group began to disperse (the warrior's well-deserved rest), yes, with the feeling of having recovered, in just one afternoon, the feeling lost over a little over a year and a half. What came after, stays for us… What happens in Paraty, stays in Paraty.
Since the first edition of Motivation Day was held, back in 2015, when we completed the Caminito del Rey together, the traditional group photo that has always accompanied this particular gathering has served as a clear indicator of the state of health of the Paratyworld group. In each snapshot the heads multiplied. This year's is also proof that we're still here, very much alive and kicking. The happiness reflected by the 65 faces portrayed speaks for itself: we are, if not stronger, certainly more excited and united than ever.
