re: Tips for Living (briefly) in the Middle East?

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I'll be doing a study abroad with Texas A&M's Arabic Language Program. So unfortunately for the most part I won't have the freedom to go do anything I want at anytime, although there will be some student only (no faculty help in planning or traveling) field trips to historical sights to help us practice our Arabic.

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Almost did something similar working in conjunction with the Jordanian equivalent of the Securities and Exchange Commission. I ended up taking another position, but I sought out a faculty member who had spent time in Amman and I recall him giving me a lot of useful information (the program itself did very little to help you plan). You might try to search for someone similar if you haven't, but your program sounds better organized than mine. I still haven't been to Amman.

Back then, it was still realistic to travel to Damascus, but I'm guessing that's not on your list. Safety wise, my planning was pre-ISIS and there hadn't been a major attack in Amman in about 3-4 years (2005 Amman bombings, my trip was supposed to be 08/09). Even then, however, the professor I met with sternly advised that I vary my schedule, which is of course common advice for anyone spending considerable time in MENA.