Annual MPA Retreat

Another year of the MPA? Another year of a MPA Retreat?

You may remember my post on last year's retreat in Croyde Bay? This year, we headed down to Portsmouth. Specifically, we spent this past weekend at the Mill Rythe Resort on Hayling Island. I had actually been in the area before back in 2010 when I did a public footpath trek through Chichester. 

(And yes, if you do a search on Hayling Island, there are reports of a tornado that happened there yesterday. I was outside when said tornado happened, but did not see anything...)

We left mid-day Friday for the resort. The drive was supposed to take under two hours, but we spent sometime in traffic.  However, as typical MPA students, we made the best of it. A bunch of the dual degree kids that had gone off to Berlin and Paris came back for the retreat, so it was great catching up with them!

When we got to the resort, we grabbed dinner and relaxed and waited for the other busses to arrive. There were two additional busses for everyone who had class late on Friday afternoons.   The rest of the evening was spent dancing, catching up with old friends, and meeting some of the new members of the incoming class!

#orangenation

Saturday morning, the girls and I headed out to the small lake that was on the property before watching Arielle and Jenny take on the challenge of learning how to crossbow! 

Post cross-bows, we headed into the small town on Hayling Island as well as checking out the beach! It had started to rain in the morning, but cleared off just in time for our walk.  

Hayling Island Beach

Day at the Beach

Zaina and me 

The rest of the evening was spent again in typical MPA fashion of drinks, dancing, a birthday, and plenty of laughs! 

First Years!

One of the best!

First Years!

All in all, it was a great weekend away! Plenty of laughs with old classmates and friends, but it was awesome to meet more of the first year class!