I was scrolling through my phone during a lunch break, and a video from CCTV Sports popped up. It was Xu Mengtao. At 35, having just realized her dream at the Beijing Winter Olympics, she was talking about preparing for her fifth Winter Games in Milan-Cortina 2026. Her voice was steady, with a hint of hoarseness that only comes from years of training. ‘My ultimate goal is to present the best Xu Mengtao and the most beautiful moves on the field in Milan,’ she said.
That hoarse voice suddenly pulled me back to a video call last month. My aunt in Toronto was complaining, her face pixelated and voice choppy on the screen: ‘I really wanted to rewatch your cousin’s figure skating competition highlights, but it kept buffering! And I can’t even find the full replay. It’s so frustrating!’ Behind her, I could see the snow falling silently outside her window. That sense of helplessness, of being cut off from something familiar, felt strangely similar to the immense pressure and isolation an athlete might feel before a big competition, separated from their home crowd.
Xu Mengtao’s persistence over five Olympic cycles is staggering. Think about it, maintaining peak physical and mental condition for nearly two decades in a sport like freestyle skiing aerials. It’s not just about defying age; it’s a battle against countless invisible injuries, moments of self-doubt, and the sheer loneliness of the training ground. I remember a sports psychology report mentioning that for veteran athletes, the biggest challenge often isn’t a new opponent, but the accumulated fatigue and the ‘memory of pain’ from past injuries. Every comeback is a conversation with their younger self.
And this made me think of my aunt again. Her ‘persistence’ is different. It’s logging into various apps every day, trying to find a smooth channel to watch the latest domestic dramas, or the Spring Festival Gala replay without the dreaded ‘This content is not available in your region’ message. It’s saving short video clips of hometown snacks because full cooking shows are too laggy. This digital ‘Great Wall’ creates a unique kind of anxiety for overseas Chinese – a fear of missing out on the cultural pulse back home, of their emotional connection becoming unstable and glitchy.
Honestly, I’m no tech expert. But as someone who has witnessed this digital divide in my own family, I feel it deeply. When Xu Mengtao jumps, she carries the hopes of a nation. When my aunt finally manages to buffer through a variety show, she’s chasing a feeling of belonging. Both are about connection, about presenting or accessing a ‘complete’ experience against all odds.
So, when I saw Xu Mengtao’s determined eyes in that interview, I immediately forwarded it to my family group chat. My aunt replied half an hour later: ‘This athlete is amazing. But hey, if you find a good way to watch things smoothly over here, let me know first, okay? Your uncle wants to watch the soccer league.’ We ended up sending a bunch of laughing-crying emojis. It’s funny how life works – the pursuit of a perfect triple-twisting somersault and the pursuit of a buffer-free streaming experience can evoke the same sigh.
How about you? For those living abroad, what’s the one show or live event you miss the most from back home? Is it a specific drama, a reality show, or maybe the live broadcast of sports events like the Winter Olympics? Share in the comments. Your experience might just be the ‘tip’ someone else needs to solve their own streaming puzzle.
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