Serious vs. fun blog

I'm seriously torn between my serious (NYU/biz school app. blog) vs. my fun and travels blog. I have a lot of thoughts to jot down on both but I'm conflicted on what information to write down on which blog. I suppose if I am to apply and become successful in management school, I should sort out something this simple.

I'm sitting in Aqaba on the Red Sea right now. I came to Jordan to see a very good friend and really don't want to return to the States. But first, I need to document the experiences and thoughts of my past two weeks before I lose them.

As a short summary, I left Washington for Taipei on March 15 to see my parents. I made a short 11 hours transit stop in Bangkok on March 23 and made my way to Jordan to visit L. I'm leaving to return to the States on March 30 via Doha.

Dad is still very sick and pretending to be brave. He knows that the cancer in his brain is growing and is trying to face the certain end with courage. I applaud him for his efforts but wish to see his humanity. How can any normal person not just break down and lose it? But I suppose that dad is simply wishing to make his last go with dignity.

On March 22, I went to the polling station with mother for Taiwan's presidential election. I have conflicted feelings about her participation in Taiwanese elections.

First - I think she should pick a country and only vote in that country's elections. Perhaps I am a little pig-headed on this matter. While I think a person's identity is multi-faceted and I also feel the pull between my American and Taiwanese side, I think a person should only have loyalty to one sovereign power and stick to it. For me, my home is America.

Second - IMHO, mother's attitude about Taiwanese politics exemplifies the problem they have in that country's body politics. The public discourse in Taiwan is often poisonous and does not easily lend one to find the room to agree to disagree with one's neighbor. So, for the fourth presidential election since Taiwan's democratization, the presidential campaign is waged with a heavy dose of mudslinging Taiwanese style and the further widening of the political fault line between the "Taiwanese" and the" mainland Chinese" communities.

I made a brief transit stop between Jordan and Taiwan. Perhaps more on that in another time (if I get around to it).

Jordan has been quite an education. The culture here is so different from anything I have experience on. If I am in the Americas and Europe, I can always rely on my western liberal background to get by. If I am in Asia, I have my ethic Chinese side. But in the Middle East, I find myself in a strange and fascinating environment.

The fantastic side first - the Jordanian desert is a lovely place to be. L. and I spent three nights in Petra and Wadi Rum. I will always remember the night walk through the Siq and being welcomed into Petra with the sight of hundreds of farolitos and Bedouin pipes and flute.

I will also treasure my time in Wadi Rum. While the desert sand ate my camera, my time at the Rum is as vivid now as when I first laid eyes upon that valley - L. and I rolling and laughing our whole way down a bloody red sand dune, the Bedouin meal M. prepared for us, sharing Taiwanese tea with our host, the sight of the Seven Pillars of Wisdom and Arabian tales of T.E. Lawrence and his exploits (and some would say deceit), laying down and looking at thousands of competing stars in the sky, and the personal stories of N., an American woman who came to Jordan to study and ended up marrying a Bedouin boy at Wadi Rum.

Now my conflicted thoughts about Jordan - I hate that L. can't walk down the street without feeling uncomfortable. For a land where men are suppose to be pious and women virtuous, the sexual tension is so thick one can slice it with a knife. For example, while having dinner in Aqaba last night, a group of Saudi boys stared and giggled at L., and acted like they have never been in the company of a woman before. Traveling gringas seem to be fair game for their harassment. I know there is a cultural gulf between what I am used to and what they think is normal behavior. But rude is rude and polite society should not behave that way. I expect that they wouldn't like it if I ogle at their mothers or sisters.

I don't want to end my entry on a negative note. I adore Jordan and my time here with L. I have one more day by the Red Sea and I look forward to future visits to this fantastic country.