Contributor:
Numan Afifi
Programme & Advocacy Lead
Sometimes, a good team catch-up needs a different setting: over coffee, around a lunch table, or on a dance floor.
On Friday, 29 May 2026, the APCOM team took a break from our usual routine for “Reel, Rhythm, Relax”, our first staff wellbeing activity of the year. After a busy few months, it was time to put work aside for a day and enjoy being together.
And what better way to start than with breakfast? Over coffee, food, and easy conversations, we had time to catch up without a meeting agenda waiting for us. A simple start, but a welcome change of pace.
Then it was off to the cinema for Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu. For a little while, we swapped our screens at work for a much bigger one and enjoyed an adventure together.
Of course, a day out wouldn’t be complete without a good meal. Lunch at a local Northeastern Thai restaurant gave us another chance to sit together, enjoy the food, and keep the conversations going. There’s something familiar and comforting about gathering around a table with colleagues and having time to talk beyond work.
The afternoon took us to Just Dance Studio, where it was time to get moving. The class brought plenty of energy and laughter as we tried something different together. Sharing a dance floor offered another way to connect, away from our usual roles and responsibilities.
Between the coffee, cinema, lunch, and dancing, the day gave us something we don’t always make enough room for: time with one another.
At APCOM, our work for LGBTQI+ communities across Asia and the Pacific brings us together with a shared purpose. Alongside that commitment, we also need space to take a breather, check in with colleagues, and simply have some fun. Looking after our team belongs in our everyday working culture.
“Reel, Rhythm, Relax” was a chance to put that into practice. Sometimes, caring for one another starts with making time for a conversation, sharing a meal, or having a laugh together.
A big thank you to Mega Cineplex for generously supporting movie tickets for our staff, and to everyone who helped organise and joined the day.
Here’s to more shared meals, more time to recharge, and perhaps a few more dance moves along the way!
