Sorry for the silence. 

We have been watching the Olympic Games with much interest, since the opening ceremonies last week.  We're able to do this because the BBC airs the events online.  I have mixed feelings about the coverage, having been raised with decades of NBC coverage.  Most of the Olympics coverage I remember has been commentated by Bob Costas, not the BBC and it seems that Bob isn't so bad.  I think the Olympics can stir up a patriotic feeling in all of us, even the ex-pats, but it disturbs me slightly when the media shade our experience of the Olympics.  The Olympics are supposed to be about competition, showcasing the best of the best, and about nations coming together in peace and all that, aren't they?

That said, we've felt the triumph of achievement, the heartbreak in those who were out-touched at the wall, the agony of not qualifying for a heat, and the general feeling of pride (and sometimes shame) for the athletes who represent our countries through the Olympic games.