1) Always travel with an open mind. It doesn't matter if you have been to that place a million times and know it by heart or it's your first time traveling, if you go with an open mind, you will always learn and see something new.
2) When it comes to harassment (verbal and somewhat physical) in the Middle East (I have only been to Egypt, Morocco, and Jordan), it's best to ignore what guys say and just keep walking. Always walk assertively, with your head high, and confidently. Try to avoid making eye contact with the aggressors and try to avoid responding or saying anything back to them, especially English curse words. In Morocco at least, when I retaliated, I was always harassed even more the other male bystanders. In Jordan, if you feel uncomfortable, you always have the right to turn around, look them in the eye, and say one of several things: (a) shoomalak- what's the matter with you; (b) haram; (c) Aayeem. All of these will draw attention to you and make the agressor more aware of what he is doing. Also, in Jordan, the public is always on the girl's side. If they ever hear a girl say these things to a man, anyone who is around him will automatically jump on his case and defend you.
3) As a solo female traveler in the Middle East, I found that when I needed help or needed direction, it was usually best to stop a woman in the road and ask for help. Sometimes males are really helpful and nice, but asking a woman will always be safer and usually never misinterpreted as anything.
4)When traveling to the Middle East, always do your best to cover. Some countries are more conservative that others, and some are more liberal. ALWAYS RESEARCH YOUR COUNTRY and try to see what other travelers have to say. It never ceased to amaze me how many women and girls walked around with skin tight short shorts and their breasts hanging out. The object of the game is to avoid unwanted attention. A safe bet is to cover your shoulders and make sure that your knees are covered as a rule of thumb. As a foreigner and as a woman, you will attract unwanted attention no matter what, but it just makes it easier if you do your best to decrease the amount of attention.
5) If you are in Jordan and happen to travel to Petra or Wadi Rum--a word to the wise: the sand kills cameras. NEVER drop your camera in the sand or roll down sand hills with your camera on you. Your camera will die...
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