Team building during pandemic

Team building during pandemic

Team building during corona does not leave many options. Activities can be organized online or outdoors.

As there is already too much of everything online, a great way to have fun and get closer is to take your team outside. The fact is that gatherings in small groups and outdoors are not that risky.

The pandemic has changed the way people work, their relationship and communication with colleagues. There are no more small rituals at work, such as a joint lunch. Whether the corona virus has interrupted the usual way of working or your colleagues are used to sometimes working from home, it is important that you continue to cultivate a sense of community.

Surely you had the opportunity to participate in online team building activities in the past year. Maybe now is the time to get your colleagues off the screen. We can customize our “Belgrade team bonding quest” to your requirements and protection measures. The number of people who would participate in one team can be reduced, as well as the number of teams per term. During almost the entire quest, the participants are in their smaller teams, walking through the center of Belgrade and solving puzzles, riddles and fulfilling challenges. This activity can be organized according to the weather forecast and you can schedule your quest two or three days in advance.

There is nothing that can replace seeing colleagues live and creating new memories outside the virtual world.

Support small and local businesses

This is a difficult time for small businesses around the world, especially for those involved in event industry. If we collaborate, we can get over it with a little fun and new memories.

How well do we know Belgrade?

How well do we know Belgrade?

How many times have you walked from one place to another without even realizing how you got there? We walk staring at our phones completely unaware of the things or people we pass. Usually concentrating on the traffic jam, we go the same way to college or work every day. And then it happens that we notice a building only when it has been built. We’re all eager for some exciting travel adventures, exploring new destinations, but why not start from the city we live in?

So we wonder how much do we really know Belgrade?

At the end of our quests, participants almost always tell us that they have never noticed a memorial plaque before or that they didn’t know the story behind some monument.

Here is one test for you; do you know where we took any of these three photos?

Follow our Facebook page and join our action [Gde je ovo?]. Every week we upload a new picture, test your knowledge of the city.

Quarantine game night

Quarantine game night

What is the easiest way to organize game night during quarantine?

We write about some games that don’t require equipment at all and you can join from laptop.

 

Over the past few weeks, our social lives have disappeared and as we wait for freedom to go back outside, we still need to socialize.  If you want to organize game night in quarantine the first step is invitation. When inviting your friends to online game night, treat the invitation like you would for a standard game night. Give people a specific time and day to attend, but don’t forget to leave some time for everyone to connect at the beginning of the call. Also let everyone know which platform you will be using for game night.

  1. Online trivia quiz

This is perfect option for people that are fans of the Pub quiz nights.  If you are lucky you might be able to find a quiz that you can buy, but you have the time why not to try to create one? Our advice is to always have in mind that the best questions are the ones where participants can’t google the solution that easily.

  1. Get to know each other

Any kind of pen and paper game can be played even online; classical games such as “Never have I ever” or “Three truths and one lie”. You’ll be surprised how many facts about your friends you don’t know. Everyone can write facts/answers on the piece of the paper. Host can count one, two, three and participants will show the paper to the camera. It’s quite easy and you can learn something new about your friends.

  1. Scattergories

As kids growing up in Serbia we would play this kind of games. The most popular was the one with Geography as main topic and categories would be: country, city, river, mountain…  Somebody would take a pen and stuck it in the book; the pen would show the letter and all the players would start filling out the categories. This game can be easily played in quarantine and you can be creative with the categories.

Bonus – Belgrade monopoly

If you are like us and you miss exploring Belgrade, you can try to conquer it in the monopoly. Monopoly it’s classical for a reason. Gather your house mates and explore Belgrade in different way.

We hope these games brighten up your quarantine days and keep you entertained.

Mystery quest

Mystery quest

Do you think team building events are missing little bit of intrigue, role play, clues and accusations? Read about mystery quest, an interactive game that is played in real time, the game where participants are the detectives who are going to solve the murder.

In this blog post we will try to tell you more about mystery quest that we organize.

Before quest begins team will choose key participants to take on the roles of the suspects. Other participants will be in the roles of detectives. If you are the murderer you will not be told. When the time comes to guess who did it – it could easily be you and feel free to point the finger at yourself!

Mystery quest begins when inspector arrives and he declares there has been a murder! He continues to explain all crime details and we discover that the bastard is still in the building… The inspector needs your help to catch the murderer.

Potential suspects range from victim’s wife, bankrupt brother and the family housekeeper… All played by key participants that volunteered before the quest. They will receive the character scripts to portray their role. Everybody must keep their eyes open and listen to conversations as the drama unfolds. Throughout the quest the suspects are called individually to answer questions. But who can you trust? Nothing is quite as it seems – everyone has a motive, but who has an alibi?

After three rounds of game and new clues, more small crimes that occur and all questions answered; suspects will have their concluding statement. After this everybody are invited to guess who the murder is! The game is over when we hear from detective again to find out who the murder is and when we finally hear name of the murder and the words “You are under arrest for the murder”.

Mystery quest is a perfect way to incorporate investigation and to your team building event in the form of a puzzling, fun and interactive murder mystery.

Traditional and modern souvenirs from Belgrade

Traditional and modern souvenirs from Belgrade

Are you visiting the city and want to buy special Belgrade souvenirs? Or are you from Belgrade and want to buy local gift for foreign friend?

If you are looking for the perfect souvenirs from Belgrade, don’t look further, here is our top 10.

Whenever one travels, they want to bring some things that remind them of the places they visited. Memories and experiences are more important than things, so when people travel it can be interesting to shop around and see what the local specialties are. It’s not the object itself that matters, it’s the memory that goes with it.

  1. Tesla cup

Nikola Tesla museum is the most visited museum in Belgrade and you should not miss it. When it comes to the souvenir we absolutely love this Mr. Light cup. For more Tesla souvenirs such as bag, passport cover, card holder or print; check this website.

  1. Niti handmade wool socks or little kilim

For traditional souvenirs in modern design Niti is perfect choice. Timeless pieces that are handmade, also made from Serbian wool, so it is 100% local product.

  1. Print or painting with Belgrade motive

Beograd je slika by Vuk Vučković

aBGD by Duško Papirović

  1. Book from Serbian author

Any book from our literature Nobel Prize winner, Ivo Andrić and we are also recommending Mihajlo Pupin autobiography “From Immigrant to Inventor”. For this book he even got Pulitzer Prize! If you want to dive into Serbian mentality, you should check work of Momo Kapor.

  1. Decko tzar shirt

  1. Ratluk and coffee

Traditional Serbian-Turkish black coffee and sweetmeat that goes with it.

  1. Unique second hand/vintage clothes

From pin-up dresses to eighties shirts, you will find unique clothes and accessorize. Each vintage piece you’ll find in these stores has its own history and getting one as a souvenir is a very creative idea.

  1. Part of Serbian folk costume

Our recommendation goes to leather folk shoes (opanci), embroidered sleeveless vest (jelek) or cap (šajkača).

  1. Cyrillic coaster 

You can get it here.

  1. Something from local supermarket

When traveling, never miss the chance to visit local supermarket. It’s step into local life! For sure you’ll find something you like whether is sweet, savory or alcohol. Another local souvenir from Belgrade could be a newspaper. It is a great way to see which were the headlines during the time you Belgrade and what was going on in the world at that moment.

Inner oasis in Belgrade

Inner oasis in Belgrade

Next time you’re sick of the concrete in Belgrade, head straight to one of these places.

  1. Beaches

If you prefer sand, Lido beach is perfect option for you. Located at the Great War Island, due to the large number of different bird species, the island is protected as a nature reserve. It is quite intimate atmosphere, you will never find huge crowd there.

For those who prefer beach bars, lot of people, water sports or volleyball Ada ciganlija is better option for you.

Tarzan beach is hidden gem of Belgrade, even not many locals know about this place. It is located in Progar, municipality of Surčin.

  1. Here for the view

Nobody can see you and you can see everything. Belgrade has many options for prefect view – Gardoš tower, Kalemegdan fortress, Ski staza or rooftop bars.

  1. Rivers and boats

Belgrade has two rivers and countless places where you can chill. If you want to hang with local fishermen, listen to music on a boat, have lunch, coffee or just sun gaze… it is all there waiting for you on Sava or Danube river.  

  1. Botanical garden

If there’s a location you can escape the madness of city center without leaving it, the Botanic Garden „Jevremovac“ is the place. There you will find the usual collection of greenhouses with exotic, weird and wonderful species from all over the world.

  1. Parks

When the sun is shining and you get tired of sightseeing, parks are perfect solutions for picnic lunch break in the city center.

Students and Belgrade quest

Students and Belgrade quest

Are you a student visiting Belgrade?

There is no better time for visiting Belgrade than your student years! A student trip can’t go wrong in a city like Belgrade with one of the most beautiful fortresses surrounded by two rivers… Also eclectic architecture, many beautiful parks, delightful food and some of the cheapest beer in Europe – all that is waiting for you in Belgrade! The perfect mix of history and party for a break from study.

It’s entirely different way of exploring Belgrade for students/young people compared to elderly travelers. While students do visit main sites in Belgrade as travelers of all ages, they also visit areas where local students hang out, so they can make new friends, speak the language and discover the vibrant nightlife with locals their age.

Are you student or young person looking for an interactive and fun way to learn about the history of Belgrade and Serbia? Maybe activity in the city that is more memorable than a sight-seeing with tour guide headphones? Belgrade quest is the answer! Participate in this fun game with your student friends, race against other teams as you solve riddles, clues and solve the challenges.

Some of the benefits of Belgrade quest for students:

  • Enables exploration and discovery –While the main goal is riddle/challenge solving, half the fun is embracing the journey as well. Being outdoors, meeting locals, become familiar with Belgrade, allowing you to find new and interesting spots on your journey. It’s also a great activity to help with your sense of direction.
  • Builds the team –The quest is a great social ice breaker. Gathering students to commit to a common goal in a relaxed atmosphere is a way to promote teamwork. Since there is time limitation for Belgrade quest, this especially puts the questers into crunch time and will encourage responsibility and leadership in the team. This helps bring the team together as each member of a team can contribute uniquely to the quest.
  • Stimulates the mind – Belgrade quest challenges players on an individual and a team level. Student participants use their general knowledge, along with puzzle solving and map reading skills to solve a series of clues that have only one correct solution. The quest teaches participants to follow directions, build listening skills, and seek and build a consensus for a plan of action. The responsibility comes with plotting a strategy for Belgrade quest.
  • Promotes social interaction – The game will starch your comfort zone. Whether it’s being in an unfamiliar area or being with an unfamiliar team, you are inspired to interact with your student team members to ensure the team’s objective is met. Since the competition of the quest can be exhilarating, you’re even more prone to interact with your team members to beat the other teams.

At the heart of Belgrade quest for students are tasks and challenges that encourage participants to stretch their comfort zones, bond with their fellow team-mates, explore and learn about Belgrade, interact with locals, and most importantly, a lot of laughter while they complete their treasure hunt lists.

Belgrade magnets

Belgrade magnets

Magnets are one of our favorite travel souvenirs so it made sense that we make Belgrade magnets.

Did you know that person who collects magnets it’s called memomagnetist?

They say that magnets are the most popular travel souvenirs. And why wouldn’t they be? They are useful for sticking notes on your fridge, they can be attached to metallic surfaces in your office or at home. Refrigerator magnets are nice way to remind you of your trips because you will see them every day as you visit the fridge to make a meal or when you go there for a quick snack. Magnets are also so easy to pack they don’t take much space or weight and they don’t cost that much.

Probably we could split all travelers in two categories. In first one there are people that don’t buy any souvenirs, but they do have travel souvenirs such as photos, maps, banknotes, beer labels, coasters…

In second group are travelers that buy postcards, magnets, key chains, t-shirts, shot glasses, snowballs and what not.

Which group do you belong to? What do you bring home from your trips?

Our Belgrade magnets have:

  1. National Assembly of Serbia
  2. Genex tower with tram
  3. „?“ first kafana in Belgrade, accordion, bottle of rakia and sparrow (one of the Belgrade’s symbols)
  4. Knez Mihailo monument
  5. Ada bridge with boat
  6. Ada bride with st. Sava temple
  7. Statue of the the Victor, one of the most important symbols of Belgrade
  8. Famous tram no 2, licitar heart and symbols of our Belgrade quest
  9. Gardoš tower

Why treasure hunt is great option for team building?

Why treasure hunt is great option for team building?

If you are interested in treasure hunt in Belgrade or team building activity that is perfect blend of fun and creativity, then look no further.

  1. Your team will work like never before

In order to get the best score, the team will plan, communicate, collaborate and race against the clock. The tasks, riddles and challenges are only successfully completed with full participation from each team member. Even people that are usually shy and don’t speak that much during fun oriented activity like this one they show the other side.  Working towards a common goal participants will have to pay attention to every detail. This is great opportunity for teams to practice problem-solving in a tangible way. Treasure hunt in Belgrade will bring your team closer together, help boost communication and courage. It will be team building experience they won’t soon forget!

  1. Treasure hunt is highly engaging and well balanced activity

During treasure hunts participants will complete challenges, solve riddles, take photos, solve trivia that can only be found at right location… Participants are drawing on each other strengths in order to succeed. There is something for everyone! Belgrade treasure hunts will include each person; regardless of their abilities and the unique mix of tactical and knowledge based tasks – all whilst having fun!

  1. The team will think outside of the box

There is something special about treasure hunts; it strengthens the creativity in teams and stimulates the mind. The hunt requires creative interpretations of tasks and clever strategies to solve each one.  Participants will show their most creative side to earn points in this competitive, fun and unique team building activity in Belgrade. 

  1. Activity suitable for all physical abilities

During our treasure hunt participants will only walk. There will be no crazy people pyramid, climbing or anything similar.

  1. Above all treasure hunts are fun!

Nothing is more likely to inspire participants to run around in order to complete the challenges with competition thrill than a suggestion of treasure hunt! It’s really simple – they are perfect mix of fun and fascination.

Treasure hunt in Belgrade is excellent activity for a break at international conference, for introducing new employee to the company team and / or Belgrade, to reward a team for successful completion of project…