Staffer's Retreat

[whatisay]

WHO| Every Escort, Stylist and Mentor. Any Capitolites or Peacekeepers who might have reason to oversee or visit.
WHAT| A professional retreat for the overworked, underpaid, and super underappreciated Tribute Care Teams.
WHERE| A chalet in District One, easily accessible by train.
WHEN| Before the next death roll.
WARNINGS| Typical Capitolites being entitled asshats.
NOTES| I've put up some subthreads for various activities, if you want to add more just do so under the appropriate day subheader!

Staffer's Retreat. Mandatory. The teams for each District are given a handful of days to prepare for the weekend, which, they're told, is going to be scheduled for a weekend with no big shake-ups in the Arena and perfect weather for outdoor activities. On Friday morning, they're taken by train to a small chalet tucked into a mountainside. A few inches of snow covers the ground but the sky is clear, reflected in the beautiful lake at the base of the mountain.

Until Sunday evening, their days will be packed with "professional development". The schedule looks something like this:

Friday:
Icebreakers
Trust Falls
Hypothetical Scenarios: How to Be the First Person Chosen for a Bomb Shelter
Three-Legged Race
Self-Care Hour: Mandatory Yoga
Dinner
Breaking Down Stereotypes Workshop

Saturday:
Mandatory Mentor Group Therapy: PTSD is Not An Excuse
Mandatory Escort/Stylist Workshop: Building Trust with Your Tributes
Mandatory Sexual Harassment Training: Focus on Tribute/Mentor and Tribute/Escort Relationships
Lunch
Capture-the-Flag
Group Lego-Building
Dinner
12am Karaoke

Sunday:
5:30am Continental Breakfast
Compliment Circle
Journal Hour
Farewells

Comments

[contrarianlibrarian]

Intellectually, China can grasp that perhaps noise might bother someone when they went through an experience like the Arena. Emotionally, however, Emily is completely correct; empathy isn't China's strength and she doesn't even really see a need for it.

But she can fake some sympathy, at least for someone who seems like they might actually be enjoyable company. Or useful later.

"Even when I'm performing my business here, I have an associate in charge of the door. I can give your name so that the library will always be open when you need it--so long as you respect the books and the silence, which I trust you can."

Even China had to admit that it was more someone's natural temperament rather than their breeding or origin that made them a good library patron. A responsible Districter could be as good as any Capitolite and better than some of them.

[conifer]

"I certainly can. There aren't too many books in Seven, so it will be interesting to have the time to look through them." She smiles brightly, genuinely pleased by her offer. The library would certainly be a place where she could escape from the screens broadcasting the Arenas too, and that was a respite she sorely needed.

[contrarianlibrarian]

"Unfortunate." And she's truly sympathetic there. She wouldn't want to think of life without her books.

She reaches into the tiny purse beside her and hands a business card to Emily. A print business card is somewhat antiquated with the technology here, but the flip-side of that is that it's an indulgence, a way to show off. The card itself is a pretty simple affair: her name, followed by an address. The street is a little ways off from the Tower, but not an unmanageable trip.

As she waits for Emily to accept the card, she adds, "I do hope you enjoy it there. It would mean a lot to me if you told me how your first trip goes--and if there's anything I could do to improve it. Nobody's perfect, but I do my best to attain it."

[conifer]

Emily takes the card from her, tucking it safely into her pocket to transfer to her purse later. "Sure, I'd be glad to let you know. But I'm sure it's absolutely lovely." It would be far better than most other places in the Capitol she could think of anyway.

[contrarianlibrarian]

If China could control responses like blushing, she'd be doing her best to conjure up one now. Instead, she dips her head as if suddenly shy. "You're too kind."

"It shouldn't be hard to find at all. Again, please visit whenever you like."