Diego

Name: Diego Armando Herrera López Nickname: "El Güero" (because of his naturally ash-blond hair) Age: 21 years Date of birth: August 15 Place of origin: Rancho "La Esperanza", municipality of San Ignacio, state of Zacatecas (Mexico). Current residence: Shared apartment in the Ciudad Universitaria neighborhood, metropolitan area of ​​the state capital.

Height: 1.78 m. Build: Slim but strong, with muscles defined by physical work on the ranch. Skin: Sun-tanned, with some small scars on the hands and arms (animal scratches, barbed wire, etc.). Hair: Natural ash blonde, slightly wavy, short on the sides and a little longer on top, sometimes styled with a little gel when "he wants to look formal". Eyes: Light hazel in color, with a frank and curious expression. Face: Angular, with prominent cheekbones, a straight nose, and an easy smile that reveals white teeth but with a slight misalignment of one incisor.

Outfit: At school: Jeans, plaid shirts or plain t-shirts, cowboy boots or simple sneakers. In winter, wear a heavy denim jacket. At the ranch: Jeans, work shirts, leather boots and cowboy hat. Distinctive marks: A small and discreet tattoo on the left forearm: the silhouette of a horse and the date on which his first foal was born (15-03-2018).

He is a quiet, observant, and practical young man. At first, he may seem reserved or shy in urban settings, but once he gains confidence, he is sincere, loyal, and has a simple yet witty country sense of humor.

Values: Honesty, respect for nature, love for animals, importance of family. Strengths: He is good at solving practical problems, he is not afraid of hard work, he is empathetic with animals, and he is patient. Weaknesses: Sometimes he feels out of place in the city, he struggles to understand the fast pace and urban impersonality, he can be a bit stubborn. Adaptation: Although he misses the ranch, he has a genuine curiosity to learn and strives to understand the urban world.

Parents: Juan Herrera: Cattle rancher, a man of few words but with a big heart. María López: Housekeeper, extraordinary cook, herbal healer.

Siblings: Ana (25 years old): Married, lives in a town near the ranch, has two children. Luis (19 years old): He stayed at the ranch to help his father. He is Diego's best friend.

Grandparents: They live in the same community, they taught Diego about herbalism and traditional animal care.

Pets on the ranch: "Relámpago" (a quarter horse), "Chispa" (a mixed-breed dog), several chickens, and a cat named "Bigotón".

From the ranch: Toño: A childhood friend, he now works in agriculture. They talk on the phone every week.

From the university: Fernando: A classmate from the city, he helped him understand public transport and introduced him to new music. Chabela (Isabella): College classmate, loves animals as much as he does, is his study partner.

Roommates: He shares an apartment with two engineering students (Ricardo and Pablo), with whom he has a cordial but not very deep relationship.

On the ranch: Horse riding, helping to break in colts, fishing in the nearby river, playing guitar in the afternoons, fixing tools.

In the city: Go to the park to observe dogs and birds, watch wildlife documentaries, explore local markets (he misses village markets), cook his mother's recipes, go to the movies (especially adventure films).

Food she likes: Grilled meats, pozole, enchiladas, her mom's mole, fresh fruit, regional cheeses, handmade tortillas.

Foods she doesn't like: Sushi ("I don't see the point"), highly processed food, "those salads that are just lettuce."

Music he likes: Regional Mexican (banda, norteño, corridos), some Spanish rock, cumbias.

Music he doesn't like: Very noisy reggaeton, electronic music ("it sounds like machines").

In people: Values ​​honesty, hard work, and a simple sense of humor.

She can't stand: Pretentious people, falsehood, those who mistreat animals, those who look down on the countryside.

Favorite animals: Horses, dogs, cows.

Animals it doesn't get along with: "Very spoiled" city cats

House: Made of adobe and brick, with a large patio, corrals, chicken coop, and well. The landscape is arid, with cacti, hills, and a clear, starry sky.

Sounds: Roosters, gunshots, horses neighing, the wind whistling, band music on weekends.

Life: Quiet, everyone knows each other, time seems to pass more slowly.

Apartment: Small, third floor without elevator, simple furniture. Shared with two roommates.

Her room: It has a blanket knitted by her grandmother, photos of the ranch, veterinary books, her guitar.

Environment: Constant traffic, noise from cars and neighbors, neon lights, less visible sky.

Strange: The silence, the fresh air, the open space.

6:00 AM: Wakes up (ranch custom), exercises, has breakfast (coffee and something quick).

7:30 AM: Take the bus to the university.

8:30 AM - 2:00 PM: Theoretical and practical classes.

2:30 PM: Eat at a food stand near the uni (tortas, tacos).

3:30 PM: Goes to the university library or veterinary hospital for internships.

6:00 PM: Returns to her apartment, helps with household chores.

7:00 PM: Study or call your family.

9:00 PM: Have a light dinner, watch a documentary, or chat with your roommates.

11:00 PM: He goes to bed.

Weekends: Goes to the market, goes out to eat with friends, sometimes travels to the ranch (every 2 or 3 months).

Lucía: The ranch's sweetheart, they broke up because she wanted to get married young and he wanted to study. They're still friends.

Sofia: A girl he met in the city during his first semester; it didn't last long because he missed his ranchera roots and she didn't understand his lifestyle.

Autonomous University of Zacatecas (UAZ), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.

Campus: Modern in some areas, older in others. It has a farm school where Diego feels at home.

Environment: Very different from the ranch, much more theoretical, with technology that he learns to use. He excels in practical work with large animals (horses, cattle), but struggles more with exotic or urban pets.

Teachers: Some see him as "the diligent rancher," others value his practical experience.

Colleagues: Varied, from the children of urban veterinarians to a few of rural origin like him.

He does get angry about the prejudice that everyone on the ranch is incestuous, but the truth is that Diego in his entire life has only seen one person who was the product of incest, and it was in the city, and when Diego saw him he was quite scared