Damascus, Syria - complicated, vibrant, hot, chaotic, relaxed
 

There was a distinct lack of university support in finding housing and a notable difference between taught Arabic and the colloquial language.  My social life in Damascus mostly involved other foreign students as there were only one or two night clubs, men have a café culture and there are cheap restaurants everywhere, so going out for food with friends is the easiest option – but not the most sociable one when it comes to meeting new people!  There were very cheap travel opportunities by bus to Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and the rest of Syria.