Laura Cal Gens’ face lights up in radiance when speaking about her country.

“I live in Roes, Spain. It’s a small village with a lot of trees and rivers. It is very beautiful. It’s home.”

She left almost everything to come to America, her friends she has known her entire life and her family where she is the only child, but she didn’t leave her love and ambition.

“It’s very different here, especially here at Rider, you cover something different every day,” Laura said. “In Spain, we spend each day in one class. I like it here a lot better because I can learn more in one day.”

Laura contrasted the differences between her small school in Spain and Rider.

“Here there are a lot of different people,” Laura said. “At home we are more like a family because the school is so small. There is no dance class or sports. There is so much more opportunity here to learn the things I want to learn.”

One of Laura’s passions is photography. Laura has wanted to be a photographer since she was younger, but classes weren’t offered at her school. She quickly signed up for photography, however, when she came and saw it was available at Rider.

“I’m very excited and happy I have this opportunity to visit America,” Laura said.

Laura traveled from Spain to New York where she and all of the other foreign exchange students had an orientation. Then she flew to Wichita Falls, TX where her host family was eagerly waiting for her arrival.

“When I first came to America, I’ll never forget getting off the plane and seeing my host mother, Susan Terry,” Laura said.

For many months Laura’s host family and her exchanged e-mails and phone and Skype conversations.

“It was such a wonderful moment when I saw them, It felt like I already knew them so well,” Laura said.

Mrs. Terry also described her feelings when she first saw Laura.

“Me and my grand-kids were there with me waiting for Laura with balloons and a teddy bear, then I heard my granddaughter say, ‘There she is. There’s Laura!’ We were so excited to see her,” Mrs. Terry said.

To be a foreign exchange student you have to sign up and write a essay. Then it is the choice of the host families that determines who you stay with and where you go.

“The host parents get to pick the student, and when we looked at her profile we knew she would make a perfect addition to the family,” Mrs. Terry said.

She wanted to do this participate in the program because she thought it would be a very fun experience.

“It is so nice to have a teenager in the house again,” Mrs. Terry said. “Me and my family are just loving it, both of my daughters are grown and out of the house so its nice to be able to fill that empty room.”

Mark Terry, Laura’s host father, also loves having Laura as a part of their family.

“When I first met Laura I thought she was very polite, and I was very excited to see her to be with us,” Mr. Terry said. “At first I was insecure, but now I’m glad to have her here, she makes me smile a lot. She reminds me of my daughters.”

Laura says since she has been at the Terry’s they have treated her so well and have made her feel so comfortable. Mrs. Terry even redecorated the entire front bedroom to make it more teenage-like for Laura.

“They are so nice and loving toward me. I love to play guitar and my house father lets me play his guitars, I love pasta and they make it for me, it makes me happy that they care so much about the things I like,” Laura said.

Mr. Terry says that he and Laura get along well because they all the same hobbies and both love music.

“My favorite things about having Laura in the family is her personality, she’s funny, sweet and determined,” Mr. Terry said. “She loves to sing, she likes to play guitar. I’m singing everyday and try to play guitar. I love learning about her culture.”

Laura’s very happy to be here but misses her family and friends more than she could describe.

“I am sad and I do miss my family and friends but I want to have this experience,” Laura said.

“My parents can come here in February but I won’t be able to spend Christmas with them.”

This will be Laura’s first Christmas away from her friends and family.

“I know that my parents are very proud of me for doing this though and its helping me get through it so can enjoy my experience here,” Laura said.

Laura said the people at Rider have really welcomed her and make her feel special.

“When people ask you a lot of questions and seem very interested in where you’re from and they say they love your accent, it makes me happy,” Laura said. “It’s funny because in Spain we love American accents.”

Mr. Terry also is very interested in Laura’s Spanish and Galilean culture and loves to teach Laura about Texas and America.

“We are both teaching each other new things, I hope by the time she leaves I can understand Spanish and say some more words than ‘Hola’,” Mr. Terry said laughing.

Although Laura is struggling with the difference between her home and America, she sees this as an opportunity she didn’t want to miss.

“I feel so lucky to be here and I want to make the most of every moment.” Laura said.