Need fun places to take Saudi boys to show them that Oklahoma is not "boring"

[Vegan]

Hi~!

I teach in a language school and will start homestaying two boys from Saudi Arabia next week. I want to take them places on the weekends and sometimes on the weekdays (homework permitting) and let them see more of Oklahoma. They've both been here for a while already. One has been living in a dorm for the past seven months. The other has been living in basically an empty apartment for about five months now. They haven't really seen much of anything.

I know about Pole Position Raceway--that's loads of fun and I know they'll love it. But, I need more ideas. I'm a 35 year old woman and they are 19 and 21 year old boys. I'm sure that my idea of "fun" will not always match their idea of "fun", so I need help with ideas~! Please? We can't really go go-kart racing every weekend and just going to see a movie will get boring fast.

I want ideas of things to do that are inside and outside. Ideas that won't take us far from Edmond and that would make good day-trips.

I appreciate any input! Thank you!!!!

[PennyQuilts]

Wow. That is not much age difference!

I tend to go towards natural landmarks like the Wichita Mountain Refuge (about an hour and 45 minutes from Edmond). There are plenty of places to go on those lines. Are they much different in the their tastes than any other red blooded American boy? <vbg> Based on your post, it doesn't sound like it!

[Vegan]

Yeah, the age difference is not that big, but I'm one of the "moms" at the school. I don't have kids, but I have strong mothering impulses. I either get called "mom" or referred to as "big sister".

Well, they are both strong Muslims, so they don't drink. They aren't interested in clubs. They are addicted to their cell phones/i-phones/blackberries. The younger one has no interest in women--he plans to wait for his family to arrange his marriage. The older one is interested, but wants to focus on his studies. He also wants to marry a Saudi girl, so he doesn't really want to get involved with anyone here. They like listening to music that hurts my ears, watching movies that are heavy on special effects, and spending time on facebook. (But, I'm on facebook a lot as well--though it's more connected to my job than for fun.) They both come from big cities and just don't know how to have fun doing simple things, but are very willing to try anything. The younger one went along on a school trip to Turner Falls and LOVED it. I think that they will enjoy natural landmarks. I want to take them to Arbuckle Wilderness because I think they'd really enjoy it and it's the closest thing to a zoo that I can tolerate. I'll add Wichita Mountain Refuge to my list. However, I need more indoor ideas as well for when the weather is uncooperative. ^_^

[Midtowner]

Are these kids incredibly religious?

I recall that as a teenager, I was tasked with entertaining another gentleman of my age from Italy. He was being hosted by a very devout family from my church. The guy didn't speak much English at all. We took him to Hooters.

That didn't go over so well, but he did have a good time. Kids that age are not going to care about the Western Heritage Museum or any of that nonsense. Saudi Arabia is the #1 tourist destination in the world. Maybe hook them up with some of their countrymen at UCO? I know there's a mosque on University across from the school. Lots of foreign students there. See what those guys are up to perhaps?

[Vegan]

They are surrounded by Saudis all day long every day. Our language school is very popular with Saudis and most of them wish that there were far fewer Saudis so it'd be "easier" to use English more often. One reason these boys want to be in a homestay is to be away from all the Saudis and get a chance to speak English in natural settings.

I wouldn't say they are "incredibly" religious. They're not fanatics by any means but their religion is very important to them. It's definitely going to be interesting during Ramadan~!

[Midtowner]

Maybe have them volunteer somewhere? I can't remember the name of the charity, but I used to get up at the crack of dawn once a week to serve breakfast to the needy at the First Christian Church on Boulevard and 2nd. I'm sure they could use the help in the kitchen there. You might also check with Habitat for Humanity or something along those lines. That'd at least offer a chance to get out of their comfort zones and associate with some good people.

[Vegan]

Oooh, Habitat for Humanity! Good idea~! I'm adding that to my list.

I don't think they'd go for serving food in a church...especially when pork might be involved.

But, volunteering at an animal shelter....I could definitely see them going for that. I'll check out other volunteer opportunities and have them see what they might think is interesting.

[dismayed]

Fun Recreation:

Hey Day Family Fun in Norman - Laser tag, miniature golf
Aligator Andy's (across from Hey Day in Norman) - Go carts, bumper cars, bumper boats, and climbing walls
OKC Rocks in Bricktown - Rock wall climbing
Hiking in the Lawton area
Camping/Picnicing/Swiming at Chickasaw National Recreation Area in Sulphur, OK
Bricktown - Walk the trails around the canal and check out the Land Run Monument; have lunch there. People watch. Find an event to go to.
Go to a Thunder game when they start back up
OU football game
There are several big-name modern rock bands coming to OKC in the near future, including Muse
See a movie at the Warren Theater
The State Fair is coming up in about a month and a half
Pole Position (I think that is what it is called) in OKC - Very high-speed go carts (or mini-race cars)
Golfing/Sailing/Surfing/etc. at Lake Hefner

Museums/Culture/Interesting:

Sam Noble Natural History Museum in Norman - Dinosaur museum and other exhibits. Something the metro can be proud of.
OKC Museum of Art in Downtown - Also something to be proud of.
Fred Jones Museum of Art in Norman at OU - They actually have Monet's, Renoir's, and other artists you have heard of. Amazing.
Action Figure Museum in Pauls Valley - Just depends on what kind of kids they are... they might like this.
Cowboy/Western Heritage Museum in OKC
Stockyards City in OKC - Actually see what the old west was like; have lunch at world-famous Cattlemen's Steakhouse
Have they ever had German food or experienced European culture? Take them to Keller, or to Royal Bavaria, or to Old Germany
OKC Bombing Memorial
If they have cameras it might be cool to walk around Heritage Hills and take pictures
Check out Little Saigon/Chinatown at NW 23rd and Classen. Go eat dim sum at Grand House... bet they haven't done that.

Road Trips (some of these are day-trips... others you would want to spend the weekend):

Go to Bartlesville and see Price Tower (it's a Frank Lloyd Wright office building) - one of the most prolific architects in human history
Go to Anadarko and see Indian City USA - great exhibit of what Native American life was like 150 years ago
Road trip to Dallas. Go to GameWerks, Six Flags, Galleria, Texas Rangers, Cowboys, Dave and Busters, Galleria
Road trip to Ft. Worth. Check out Cowtown and the whole cowboy thing.
Road trip to Stanton Missouri - Go to Merrimac Caverns. Bet they've never been to an underground cavern before.
Tulsa... lots of things to see whether its museums like the Gilcrease or fun stuff like Dave and Busters
Albuquerque New Mexico - Check out the old adobe dwellings and artists community in Old Towne
Little Sahara Oklahoma - If they miss home go check out the sand dunes at Little Sahara and rent dune buggies... fun!
Lake Eufala or Lake Wagoner or Lake Texoma - Get a boat.
Spiro Oklahoma - Check out the Spiro Mounds... an ancient Indian burial ground.

[Vegan]

WOW! Thank you so much dismayed!!!!

[Debzkidz]

I have sons in that age group and one of them has recently gotten in to geo-caching with a friend. At first, he thought it would be "lame", but he has actually really had fun. It's a cheap way to spend an afternoon, while exploring the community.

[PennyQuilts]

I have sons in that age group and one of them has recently gotten in to geo-caching with a friend. At first, he thought it would be "lame", but he has actually really had fun. It's a cheap way to spend an afternoon, while exploring the community.

Great idea!

[dismayed]

That is a great idea. I have geocached myself and it is way more fun than you would ever expect, especially if you end up finding a really cool cache.

[hipsterdoofus]

Yeah geocaching is a great hobby..PERSONALLY, I recommend it more as a fall/winter hobby in Oklahoma. Due to the nature of where most of them are hidden, there is a lot more poison ivy danger and such during the summer, plus the heat...you could still find some urban ones to do...and they are all over the place. In fact, there is one at Chitwood Park in Edmond that is hidden in plain sight.