Panamerican Games in Guadalajara

Have you ever hard of the Panamerican Games?

Yes, you say?

Stop showing off…I get it…you’re smarter than me!

No, you say?  Well, me neither!

That is, until it was announced that the Panamerican Games (Juegos Panamericanos) were held in Guadalajara this year!

As it turns out, the Panamerican Games have been held since the 20´s, and all North and South American countries are invited to participate, even Cuba.  Just like the Olympic Games, the Panamerican Games take place every 4 years, and include more than 40 participating countries.

Just as in the Olympics, there is also a Panamerican torch that must be run from one location to another (although I never caught wind of what that location actually was, and where it was going), and lucky us…it came right by our neighborhood!  I watched online updates from other local Gringos saying where they had last seen the torch, and took off down the street just 30 seconds before they passed by us!

We were enjoying a particularly wet day, due to rainy weather from Hurricane Jova, that hit the Pacific Coast.

That night we enjoyed watching some of the opening ceremony on television. It was just as grand and glorious as the Olympic´s opening ceremonies, and it was truly humbling to watch the athletes who have prepared so much be able to come together to compete in their sports.

The girls also enjoyed some Panamerican festivities at their school. Sadly, the school games kept getting rescheduled, and we assumed they would take place on a Friday. But earlier that week I picked up a school note that had been sent home the day before, and realized that it was announcement that they were rescheduling for THAT morning!  So, we had already missed Ella´s games one hour earlier, but we rushed to school to watch Maiya´s.

They had their own opening ceremonies. Below everyone is marching around with the Mexican flag, holding their palms face down in front of their chest to salute to their country. I felt some Mexican pride rush through me!

All the parents were asked to hold signs for the different countries, symbolizing the athletes from all around the world that were visiting this area at that very moment!

Then, each kid got to carry a torch around the field (I got to carry Maiya´s torch for her), and then they participated in mini-Panamericano games, such as running races, shot put (without heavy balls), etc.  Maiya did great, and was so proud of herself!

Ella had to do a special art project based on a particular theme, and then recite her assignment in Spanish in front of the class and parents (I did get to see this). She did a great job!

Then, the kids stood in a circle, flailing streamers through the air, and watched a team blow up a handmade globo made from tissue paper, and send it off into the sky!

There were many events that took place around the Chapala area (water events), but we did not get to see any. Our friends from Discover.Share.Inspire arrived for a visit with their 5 kids (they are driving from Alaska to Argentina) and stayed with us for several weeks. We all got a stomach bug and didn´t get out as much as we would have liked!  Oh well, such is life!

And just so you know…the US, Cuba, Brazil and Mexico got the most amount of medals!