The following is an essay by
Gonzalo Bravo , a professor of
sport management at West Virginia University, about his recent sabbatical to
his native country, Chile, for the
Pan American and Parapan American Games last fall. The essay provides a brief
history of the often-overlooked competitions and the impact that the games have
on athletes, nations, and the host country. He also shares the challenges and experiences
of collecting data for upcoming research projects, his volunteer experience at
the games, and the personal and professional rewards from the unique sabbatical
experience.
Last fall, I had the opportunity to complete a sabbatical leave in Santiago, Chile.
This enabled me to concentrate full-time on the data collection process of four
large-scale research studies during the XIX Pan American and VII Parapan American
Games held in Santiago from Oct. 20 to Nov. 26, 2023.