29 Sep 2022 Blind exchange student Aizirek Sapidinova is making the most of her time in America

By Becky Bell

Aizirek Sapidinova cannot see, but her trip to America has broadened her horizons about what a difference a world away makes.

Known by friends as “Izzy” (pronounced like eye-Z), Aizirek, is an exchange student from Kyrgyzstan who moved to America in mid-August to attend Arkansas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. “I feel more like myself, and I feel comfortable here,” she said of the Arkansas school in Little Rock. “Because other students have low vision or (are) blind.”

The teenager lost her sight when she was only 8. She was playing with relatives near a swimming pool and hit her head on a cement bridge. “It took three months to become blind,” she said. “We went to all the little clinics and doctors, and I had an operation. It didn’t help.”

Aizirek’s country of Kyrgyzstan is a country of Central Asia and is bordered by Kazakhstan on the northwest and north, by China on the east and south, and by Tajikistan and Uzbekistan on the south and west. Because of her interest in the U.S., Aizirek applied to the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) Program through the American Scandinavian Student Exchange (ASSE).

For a long time now, the 17-year-old has wanted to experience what life would be like as a teenager in America. “I applied because I love America and I want to get into the American style of life and try foods,” she said. “And I want to feel like an American student because we heard a lot about America, and we watch movies.”

She was accepted into the ASSE program and assigned a host mother, April Babberl, with whom she lives in Bryant and who is a gifted and talented coordinator at the School for the Blind. At this unique school, Aizirek can learn braille, which was not possible in her country. She is also learning how to walk with a cane. Canes were not readily available for her there either.

“They did not have any technology equipped for her in her country, she had to have help for everything,” Babberl said. “She was used to having someone hold her hand when she walked around in her school.” At school in Kyrgyzstan, there were 2,000 students, but she was the only one who was blind.

In her country, she was able to respond verbally to her teachers and that is how she learned. Her three sisters helped her get around and with school. Babberl said Aizirek has good sight memory, which means she knows her colors and remembers how to write a little.

This sight memory comes in handy when it comes to one of Aizirek’s favorite activities. Like most teenage girls, she loves to shop whenever possible. Babberl said she helps Aizirek pick out clothing by telling her what color it is so she can match the pieces together.

“Izzy also likes to go shopping and while I’m not a shopper, it’s very interesting to go with her,” Babberl said. “She goes by the feel and texture of the garment.  She follows the seam line and the cut of the shirt.  She actually will hold it up to herself to see if it is the size she wants it to be.

“Izzy wanted to do three things when she came to America: ride a roller coaster, play the guitar and learn to swim,” Babberl said.  Today, Aizirek can play two chords on the guitar, a skill she learned from Babberl’s daughter Savana. The family also made a trip to Magic Springs and the roller coasters weren’t running that day, but she did get to experience the Log Flume. 

With Aizirek’s accident happening near a swimming pool, Babberl did wonder how she would react to a swimming lesson.  “I stayed right with her and was very intentional in how I helped her,” Babberl said. “And within an hour and a half, she was swimming!”

While there are similarities with her home country such as Target and Burger King, there are also some key differences. The people of Kyrgyzstan do not eat pork and drink horse milk. 

While in America, Azirek will continue learning braille and improving her English skills so that one day she can study law. She is grateful for her time here and looks forward to how it will shape her future. While it may not be exactly as portrayed in the movies, Aizirek shares that moving to America is an experience that she will never forget.

To learn more about hosting an international student, call Julia Bullock at 501.388.9320.