Studying Arabic in Damascus Questions/Suggestions Needed

Greetings:

My wife and I are looking to study Arabic and live in Damascus for approximately one year starting in January.

The Arabic Language Center at Damascus University looks pretty good for our needs, but if anyone has taken classes there, please give me your thoughts.

But, I have a few questions about living in Damascus:

1. How easy is it to get ADSL or some form of high speed internet in your residence?

2. Is it too difficult to keep renewing your visa (heard that D Uni can help since they're govtl)

3. Are there gyms with swimming pools (especially one my wife could wear her a bikini?) that you can get a membership?

4. Can you buy a moped (like in Thailand) and get around easily or is that not recommended?

ADSL available in Internet shops but still much slower than in OZ
At home ADSL is luxury and costly i pay AUD 80/month for a lousy slow service.
It is not difficult to renew visa as long as you are studying. every 2 months.
Swimming pools are luxury.there are few public ones but not cheap.
Most expat go the Dedeman(Meridian) hotel for membership Bikini is OK at most swimming pools.
There are few good gyms and not expensive.
Moped is very dangerous game on the road. Road rules are CHAOS.Taxi are plenty and very cheap and there many cheats as well amongst them
Minibus around town is very popular and cheap too.

Thank you so much Marcopolo!

i would really strongly advise your wife against wearing her bikini unless it is ONLY in a private club. when y´all are out and about during the day she should also then dress conservatively (i really reccomend in trying to blend in w/casual, local attire), but her head does not need to be covered.

if you want to be safe and smart and protect your wife´s reputation (first impressions especially count when it is foreigners moving in), then i would not wear a bikini in public and maybe not even a regular bathing suit unless you are in a crowded area where many other local woman are dressed similarly.

Bikini are common attire for woman at most swimming pools in Damascus.No differenece foreigners and locals alkie.I have even seen local women dressed in G string yes i did.