Just days after arriving in America, Paraguayan exchange student junior Marcelo Franco already had a nickname—the human jukebox.

Franco’s host and Spanish I student sophomore Alex Mckinsey christened Franco after hearing him play songs on his harp from memory. Franco says he knows about 60 songs from memory, and they take an average of three months to learn.

Franco shipped his $1,000 harp from Paraguay to the United States.

“It was too big to fit on the plane I was on, so they had to ship it separately,” Franco said.

Not only was it his harp’s first venture from home, but it was Franco’s as well. Before January of this year, Franco had never been on a plane or train before.

Now Franco is the only exchange student from his school in Paraguay at Lawrence High, while 12 of his classmates reside with Free State students.

“It is weird to go to a public school [like LHS],” he said. “In Paraguay, the good schools are all private.”

Franco attends an experimental school in Paraguay where his graduating class consists of 45 students.

“In my school we do not get to pick our classes. We also stay in the same room and different teachers come to us.”

In Paraguay, Franco said students learn more languages as well. Franco can speak English and Spanish as well as Portuguese and Guarani.

His biggest disappointment? The food.

“In Paraguay I usually eat hamburgers for lunch,” Franco said. “I had the spaghetti here, and I couldn’t really eat it. It was gross.”

Franco’s favorite dish back home is Sopa Paraguaya. Though it directly translates to “Paraguayan soup”, it is actually similar to a cheesy corn casserole.

Before he returns home, Franco hopes to ski, snowboard and ride a motorcycle.

“It works out well,” Mckinsey said. “We like to do all of the same things.”

In just a few days, Mckinsey and Franco have developed a bond. Mckinley is a great admirer of Franco’s talent on the harp, and he and his father plan to help Franco record his music in the United States.

While Franco is a gifted harpist, he said he will not be joining any instrumental ensembles because he is more of a solo artist.

Mckinsey suggested he join choir.

“We sing together in my car,” he said to Franco earnestly.

“That was different,” Franco said with a smile.

Franco will staying with Mckinsey for six weeks.

“It’s so exciting,” Mckinsey said. “I’ve known people who have hosted exchange students, and they have always had a great time, so when I heard about this I jumped at the opportunity.”