What's in a Name?

Guillermo Zertuche

Guillermo Zertuche – Native American/Irish (mother); Spanish-Basque (father); Agreeable, respectful, and easy to talk to, Guillermo is a thoughtful, down-to-earth, and kindhearted youth with sensible outlook on life. Having recently parted ways with his long-term girlfriend, an exotic girl named Valentina, he encounters and develops a romantic relationship with Naomi Nichols for some time during their college years at Northeastern University, after being introduced to him by their mutual friend, Shelby Doherty. He is curious, determined, and bright and has hopes of combining his love of keeping active and helping others by becoming a sports psychologist. He is generally grounded and pragmatic and is often patient to a fault, although as anyone, he too has his limits. Practical, articulate, and wise beyond his years, Guillermo is described as a good communicator with a level head on his shoulders. He tends to have more mature interests than many of his peers and is usually responsible and hard-working, often taking ownership of his actions and readily admitting to his faults during an argument. Like Naomi, he tends to be somewhat of a homebody and tends to keep to himself when confronted with group situations, although he is more apt to speak up and act decisively than she is under certain conditions. Although he prefers to go with the flow and confront life with flexibility, he is not averse to taking charge of things however and will voluntarily take leadership roles if needed. Guillermo has somewhat of a calming vibe as well and can easily handle unexpected events and strenuous circumstances, having significant emotional strength and seldom cracking under pressure. He also doesn't have strong opinions regarding religion and unlike Naomi, is not necessarily spiritual or open to the existence of a higher power. 

He openly questioned and challenged some of Naomi's beliefs and perceptions when she was briefly involved in an on-campus ministry and confronted by the extremist views of several Christian students. He rapidly came to Naomi's defense when she was "slut-shamed" by a particularly notorious member named Amy Katsikis as she gradually began to explore her sexuality and femininity. Naomi notes that Guillermo's calm nature and healthy self-esteem makes him rather difficult to offend, as he is not easily triggered by situations and often has self-control and good management of his temper. He is also not particularly intellectual and doesn't like to moralize or philosophize situations, describing himself as more of a "hands-on, straightforward kind of guy" who likes to keep things simple. He also tends to be very mindful and considerate, often encouraging Naomi to approach the world with an open heart and show gratitude for the small things she does have whenever she complained about trivial matters or a perceived loss. He tries to see things through a more optimistic lens and as a person who grew up with parents who were continuously away working, tells Naomi to appreciate her family members and their company, as she never knew when they would pass on and unexpectedly fade away from her life. Guillermo frequently tries to put himself in the other person's shoes and admires Naomi's closeness to and association with "home" through her own small, supportive social circle back in her native Long Island. Naomi mainly likes him due to his easygoing nature and ability to make things feel less complicated, as with all the changes she had been experiencing as an emerging adult studying in a college away from home, he served as a strong pillar of support and transmitted some of his positive energy onto her. 

A kind person who will always bend over backwards, he can be very selfless as well, often being the first person to aid those in need and generally being a dependable person in a time of crisis, with a firm resolve and warm, reassuring words of comfort for those around him. He is also very family-oriented, holding strong attachments to his parents, siblings, and extended family, along with periodically keeping in touch with his close-knit group of friends from his native Phoenix. Guillermo quickly forms a strong bond with Naomi upon moving to Massachusetts and develops mutual feelings for her after discovering a shared taste in music, mutual fondness for geeky pursuits, since he was a massive fan of The Flash, and similar humanitarian tendencies and passions for travel. Like Naomi, he enjoys going to the beach and has a sensitive side that enjoys deep reflection and watching sunsets. Although he can sometimes overwhelm people with his tendency to want to take the lead and fix people's problems, he is calm and amiable and has good intentions. He also enjoys being playful and can generally be found in a positive mood, often bringing a positive energy to his environment with light humor. Guillermo's friends tend to describe him as an "unfazed everyman" when it comes to the weirdness in his surroundings, as he claims to detest conflict and drama and what he considers "petty confrontations" with people. Although he is not generally a hot-tempered or argumentative person, he will stand up for himself to calm the situation and maintain his inner peace. Considered daring to a fault, he is brave and always eager to join in on any adventure, along with being fiercely loyal and protective of his close friends. 

Having been a victim of bullying as an elementary and middle school student, he is very adamant at defending those who are ridiculed or mocked by others and demonstrating empathy for those who are looked down upon. Guillermo also has a bold facet to his personality, as he loves to engage in new activities with his close friends and tends to believe in what he can visibly see and what is palpable to the eye. The son of a white Hispanic father from Texas and a mother from New Mexico of Tawa Native American and Irish ancestry, he was raised in Arizona for much of his life before deciding to attend university in Boston, seeking a change of environment. His mother taught art at a community college in Phoenix, meanwhile his father was a foreign language instructor at a local charter school, demonstrating fluency in Spanish and German and knowing some colloquial French. Although he is not thoroughly academic, he has hidden depths and can be surprisingly good at learning and picking up different languages. Raised by a polyglot, Guillermo himself speaks fluent Spanish after being taught by his father, understands some basic Basque, German, and French words, and speaks some Tawa. He is considered attractive with a slender, but toned physique, spiky, tousled black hair, and a swarthy, tanned complexion and is involved in mixed martial arts and the college's swim team. He has very deep-set dark brown eyes and is characterized by his signature boyish, slightly crooked smirk, bearing a physical resemblance to the actor Taylor Lautner according to Naomi's friends. He is Naomi's second serious relationship and the first boy she ever has a real sexual encounter with, sleeping with him while attending Northeastern University. 

Previously sexually inexperienced with men, Naomi and Guillermo form a deep bond, leading her to experiment with and lose her virginity to him at his family's lake house while vacationing together the Spring Break of their sophomore year. She often jokes that he has "major prowess" in the bedroom and that he is a good kisser as they remain sexually active throughout their college years. Despite appearing conservative, she described him as someone who would initially prefer to keep things low-key and laidback, but continuously "take things one step further" by gradually intensifying everything they did together. He rarely had sexual experiences with many different people even as he approached young adulthood, as he needed to find meaning in his relationships and form a real emotional connection to fully give himself to another person. In a similar way to Naomi, he likes to take things slow and steady and is an "all-or-nothing kind of guy" who will keep his walls up unless he is seriously invested in someone. He and Naomi are happy together and date for a few years, but eventually break up amicably once Naomi notes something "feels missing" in her relationship with Guillermo and admits her lingering feelings for her first love, Jorge. While hurt initially by her decision, Guillermo later moves on to new love interests and forms a deep bond with a new girl, Fahzia, whom he eventually becomes engaged to in his mid-20s. Naomi nevertheless remembers Guillermo as "the kindest man she ever knew" due to his undying patience with her and earnest desires to ensure her happiness and well-being. Noting that he and Naomi have grown apart and changed significantly over time, Guillermo apologizes to his classmate, Fahzia for initially rejecting her and gives their relationship a chance. 

Although he appreciates Fahzia's kindly and unassuming demeanor, he still can't quite forget his feelings for his college girlfriend Naomi. He sees loosely reflected in his new girlfriend in many ways, causing him to mistakenly refer to her as Naomi on one occasion. After some prodding, she eventually forgives him and lets him back into her life, and upon getting to know each other better, they develop genuine, mutual feelings for one another. While Fahzia has some issues in the future due to her struggles with pelvic inflammatory disease, she and Guillermo still manage to conceive a single daughter they name Nuria together after two miscarriages. They later date for a few years and become engaged in their mid-20s, with Guillermo empowering and encouraging while she establishes her non-profit organization. It is supposed to benefit underprivileged classes who lack medical insurance and pursues her master's degree in international affairs. The two also go on to adopt two more children, a son from Paraguay named Gael who was born with a cleft lip and a daughter from Malawi named Raegan. Guillermo winds up doing charity work in the African country of Botswana with Fahzia and traveling to different parts of Latin America. She eventually pursues a career as both a foreign aid worker and philanthropist, and she opts to brings their children along the way. She has been lifelong friends with a British girl named Rhonda, who she met during her childhood throughout her time in Cape Town, South Africa. Seeing as her family has a history of COPD due to her grandfather's diagnosis with the condition, they continue to advocate health causes and donate to local charities. ISFP 6w5