When we all met at the front of LAX, we all shared the same anxiety but were reassured that we could rely on each other. Two hours later, at 11:59, the first hour of what would be an exhausting 13 hour flight, we took off. Jam-packed, hot, and uncomfortable, no one could fall asleep in the first hour. However, when we did fall asleep, we found our joints creaking in Taoyuan International Airport, Taiwan. When we exited the plane, we were hit by a wall of humidity that stood on the hazy landscape of Taiwan's forest. After making it through customs, we boarded the express train into downtown Taipei. There, hungry and impatient, we waited an hour and fifteen minutes for a two-Michelin star café, Fu Hang Soy Milk. Once seated with our sweet soy milk and fried egg sandwich in the cozy food court, we ate and relaxed, then  walked through the city,  caught our train, and  flew another three hours to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. After passing through customs, immigration, and the heat, we found our guides holding a large Poly sign. We boarded the bus to our hotel where we finally had a chance to relax. At 7:00 p.m., we had a rooftop orientation with our guides and at 7:30, sat down at a fancy restaurant for dinner. Finally, exhausted and in need of a proper night's rest, we finally made it to the hotel, looking forward to an eventful day with Cambodia Living Arts. 

    Our first impressions of Southeast Asia were its vibrancy, its heat, and its bustling city life. Our breaths were taken away by both the awe of Taiwan's green mountains and the red sun that hung between downtown Phnom Penh's streets. Tonight, though tired, we shared our first meal together as GIP Cambodia, as new friends, and as a family. We look ahead to the eleven more days we will spend together in this extraordinary country. 

Thanks for reading,

Justin and Atticus