"Kampuchea" is the local name for Cambodia, a word that carries a gentle sound for a country with a turbulent past. Despite enduring decades of atrocities, Cambodia remains a land where children still tread carefully, aware of the estimated 4 to 6 million unexploded ordnances lying just beneath the surface. These remnants of war are the legacy of the Khmer Rouge regime, the Vietnamese, the U.S.-backed Lon Nol government, and various smaller factions who ravaged the landscape.

My first trip to Cambodia was in 2009, on a business venture. The country, eager to embrace economic development, was open to investment opportunities. We were looking to partner with local manufacturers in Phnom Penh to help expand their shoe production business. On a personal note, my friends Rachel and Stephen had recently moved there in search of new opportunities, so I was hopeful that I could visit often—not just for work, but to join the local Ultimate Frisbee community as well.

Since then, I've witnessed the remarkable transformation of Phnom Penh. Economic growth has reshaped the city, with high-rise buildings replacing older structures and a shift from unsafe public transport and motorbikes to more organized transportation systems. The streets, once dominated by food stalls, now incorporates trendy restaurants and gyms, a reflection of a growing middle class. This is the result of a local economy in bloom, where people have the time and resources to invest in both work and leisure.

While the scars of Cambodia's political and historical struggles still linger, the resilience of the Cambodian people is impossible to ignore. The smiles of locals, despite the hardships they've endured, tell a story of strength and hope—proof that, while the past may have shaped their trajectory, it will not define their future.