Aygul Sayapova’s first perceptions of America were derived from movies.
‘I wanted to come to America since I was 10-years-old? it was my dream to come here,? said Aygul (pronounced eye gull). ‘I had an image of American from the film industry. Then other (exchange) students and those who had visited told me how great America is. Still, I really wanted to be more objective and decide for myself. So far it’s been wonderful.?
Aygul is 17-years-old and arrived from Durtuly in the Republic of Bashkortostan in central Russia last August as a student in the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) program.
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, the FLEX program continues to play a critical role in providing youth like Aygul, from the former Soviet Union, the opportunity to live and study in the United States. Since 1993, 20,000 students from the former Soviet Union have participated in the FLEX program.
Established by former Senator Bill Bradley as a way to ensure long-lasting peace and understanding between the USA and the newly independent states or Eurasia, FLEX students learn about democracy firsthand as an exchange student.
In village of Durtuly, Aygul lives in an apartment with her mother Irina, a retired accountant, and father Raushan, who works in the oil industry. Her older brother Azamat, 20, is a college student in Moscow.
Last summer, she flew from Moscow to Washington, D.C. then to Chicago. Then a short plane ride to Kalamazoo, where she lived with a host family and attended Gull Lake High School in Richland, Mich.
‘This is the first time I’ve been out of Russia,? she said. ‘I’ve been to Turkey on vacation one time, it’s beautiful there.?
Aygul’s native language is Tatar and she learned Bashkir in school apart from English.
‘I learned English in kindergarten and I just loved it, so now it’s pretty easy to communicate here in America.?
During her first months as a student at Gull Lake High School’Aygul immersed herself in American sports.
‘I wanted to be a cheerleader,? she said. ‘It’s such an American thing to do they let me join the Gull Lake squad and I learned the chants (cheers). I had to practice to catch up with the other girls but I cheered at the Gull Lake homecoming game. I was pretty nervous a few hours before the game, but once I got out there it was just fun’not as hard as I thought.?
Aygul joined Emily Bretz from Australia when she came to Brandon High School in January. Both girls live with Dan and Debbie Graves of Groveland Township.
Aygul recognized less of a gender barrier here in America.
‘I joined the girls soccer team and am currently doing conditioning in the gym after school,? she said. ‘In Russia girls don’t usually play sports, maybe band or gymnastics. We also don’t play a variety of sports in high school, maybe one, but not three like so many do here. Also, women don’t drive cars as much at home’it’s more a male thing. I don’t have a driver’s license and many girls don’t. It was fun to get in a car here and ride with my friends’we had the radio on? it was fun to do that. But I see why you need to drive here, everything is so very spread out’you really need a car. It’s a struggle to get around if you don’t. Even in my small town we have public transportation.?
Cold weather was not new to Aygul.
‘The winters are pretty much like they are here in Michigan,? she said. ‘It’s a little more humid here though. What I did not expect was the housing system here in America. The apartment buildings are so small compared to where I live. There are no big tall buildings only three or four stories.?
Aygul enjoyed the American diet.
‘Fast food is everywhere here,? she said. ‘They advertise it (fast food) and promote it all the time. And Americans are eating out all the time’we don’t. Maybe there are two or three cafes in my town. Eating establishments are everywhere and Americans seem to have the money to go. But it’s good food here. Especially cheesy potatoes’oh yeah, they are awesome, I never had them before. Not to mention macaroni and cheese, Pop-Tarts and BBQ chicken pizza. We eat more porridges and eat at home more.?
The current Russian economy is hurting.
‘Inflation is going crazy at home’it’s really a crisis,? she said. ‘Food prices went up’the ruble is not worth much right now. I was going to study to be a psychologist, but it was hard to find a job, so maybe a career in journalism or international relations.?
‘They don’t talk about the collapse (of the Soviet Union), it happened before I was born,? she said. ‘However, when things get out of hand, we say, ‘Stalin would roll over in his grave today.? Some of the older people still believe in the old ways. My grandfather, Rifgat, is 75-years-old and is really into politics. He was a builder and talks about the old days. We still have May Day celebrations.?
When Aygul returns to Russia she will take the national exam at the end of the school year.
‘It’s one chance and everything depends on it to graduate,? she said.
Terri Schall is the ASSE area representative and helps bring students like Aygul to America.
‘I love working with and placing FLEX students like Aygul; they are very appreciative, kind, intelligent and caring young men and women,? she said. ‘The FLEX scholarship is very competitive and when a student is notified that they won one, they cannot believe it. I remember one year there was 43,000 applicants and only 810 scholarships were awarded. If homes are not found for them in the school year they were awarded one, they lose their scholarship and they have to go through the entire process again the following year to try and win one again, age permitting.?
To contact Terri via email at terri.asse@gmail.com