Does your employer know that you are currently treated for insomnia and anxiety?

This trip sound like something that should be optional. Personally, I love camping, but even I wouldn't be too keen on sharing a tent with colleagues. And there are many people who hate sleeping in a tent. I don't think you are overly sensitive; although if you never tried sleeping in a tent, you might want to consider giving it a try at home first (I actually sleep better in a tent after a day of outside activities).

@Daniel No, although I don't have a major problem with disclosing if necessary. We are a fairly large international company.

Will there be electricity? So people who have even more severe issues, like needing a CPAP machine, will have accommodations?

@thursdaysgeek I am unsure--that was my first thought; my husband uses a CPAP so I don't know what people like him will do. It may seem silly but I don't know how I'd sleep without my electric fan providing white noise and cooling (the white noise can be substituted with phone apps, but not the cooling in the middle of August)

who is paying for the flights?

@WendyG They are. Overnight flights, which I won't be able to sleep on for the same issues, so I'm going to arrive already exhausted and jet-lagged.

Since many people have medical conditions that preclude sleeping in a tent with no electricity, I wonder what idiot came up with this idea. I know I could not do it.

So far this is sounding like an anti-team-building exercise. Why do it if people are not going to have a good experience?

@paparazzo I am sure that there are people in the company that think this type of thing is awesome... and generally speaking, I've found that those are the sort of people that rise to positions planning these things for others, and simply don't realize that not everyone shares their extroverted enthusiasm.

@HLGEM If I had to guess, it would be someone from middle management. I have seen plenty of idiots like those there. :)

As far as I'm concerned, there's no such thing as a "mandatory" trip that takes place at a weekend :) Weekends are not for mixing with people I work with..

It's more than two vacation days. If it's a 48 hour trip, that's about 6 working days they owe you. The clock starts when you leave for the trip and stops when you get home.

I think the same question was answered on Ask a manager: askamanager.org/2018/04/… are you at the same company?

@MeganSullivan Nope--at least they get personal tents! We're sharing with 3-4 coworkers! Otherwise an almost identical situation though (different destination) Almost makes me wonder if they just changed some details to avoid identification!