My First Retreat as a Co-facilitator

Have you ever been given a task at work and thought, Oh no, I’m going to mess this up? That was me when I found out I’d be co-facilitating the Cordaid retreat. Excitement? A little. Panic? A lot.

I had been to a team retreat before— as a participant. Back then, all I had to do was sit back, take part in activities, and enjoy the experience. But this time, I was on the other side, helping to lead it! To be honest, I felt a bit nervous.

The retreat was all about bringing the Cordaid team together, reflecting, learning, and bonding. For everyone else, it might have sounded like a great break from their daily routine. But in my head, it played out differently: What if I say the wrong thing? What if I freeze? what if everyone just stares at me, expecting brilliance I can’t deliver? My mind was racing with ‘what ifs,’ but there was no backing out— When work calls, you answer.

Meeting new people has always been intimidating for me. Some might call it anti-social behaviour, but in my opinion, I’m just scared of uncertainty—and new people bring a lot of that. So, stepping into this role pushed me outside my comfort zone.

The morning of the first day was the hardest for me. I walked into the room, and people were already there, chatting and settling in. That’s when it hit me—this is happening. And then, the dreaded moment came: introductions. I took a deep breath and introduced myself. Surprisingly, I think I did well! Seeing how nervous I was, I expected my voice to shake, but I managed to sound calm.

Some of our team-building activities were outdoors. I had to pick the place and atfirst, I worried—what if it got too hot? But then I remembered… this was Musanze. The sun there isn’t harsh; it’s just the right kind of warmth, paired with the fresh mountain air. Those three days felt less like work and more like a mini holiday.

Still, there was no time to relax! The energy stayed high between the Scavenger Hunt, Throwing the Sticks, and Painting games. Of all the activities, my favourite was the scavenger hunt. We split the team into groups, and each group had to find objects that matched the clues provided. The best part? Teams had to take group photos of every item they found and send them to me.

As the pictures started coming in, I couldn’t stop laughing. Some were so creative, others were just plain hilarious! But what I loved most was that, even though it was a competition, everyone completely forgot the rules and just had fun.

When the game was over, we all gathered in the room and I projected the pictures to see who won. That meant going through the pictures together, and let me tell you—there was so much laughter! It was one of those moments that made the whole retreat feel even more special

One thing I’ve learned about myself throughout this whole experience is that I’m often my very own worst critic. I can get so caught up in my own expectations and self-doubt that I sometimes miss out on fully enjoying the experience. At the retreat, I spent so much time worrying about how I was performing that I nearly ruined the fun for myself. But looking back, I see how unnecessary those worries were.

Growth happens when we embrace challenges and sometimes, the best lessons are learned by simply enjoying the journey. Who knows? Next time,  I won’t panic when faced with something new.

Gisa Akineza