With his welcoming and lighthearted presence, Mr. Nabipay is not one to miss in these halls. Born and raised in Tehran, Iran, Mr. Nabiday has come a long way from his roots. As a kid, he didn’t know exactly what he wanted to be when he grew up, but his favorite subject was always math. He was a swimmer, and he still swims to this day. He remembers his 3rd grade teacher most vividly as one of his favorites because of her kindness.
Once he completed college in Iran, he moved to Minnesota in 2003 to attend graduate school at the University of Minnesota, where he met one of his favorite teachers, an advisor in one of his math classes. He has been here ever since. For a while he lived in Uptown, but once he got married, he found a house in Golden Valley, which he enjoys because he is close to downtown but still immersed in nature. He claims to see many deer in his front yard, along with turkeys that visit daily.
Mr. Nabipay first learned about Breck when he got a last-minute call from Breck that they were looking for a substitute. Previously, he had been at Blake, so he didn’t take the job. Later on, though, he took a tour of Breck for his son and saw that Breck was hiring, so decided to take the job. He wanted to be a teacher because he saw important value in teaching students math the right way. When COVID hit and everything was taught remotely and his kids were at home as well, he was inspired to teach mathematics in the right way. He is currently writing a book that takes a different approach to basic math, with an emphasis on analysis.
When asked about TV shows, it was difficult for Mr. Nabipay to make a definitive list of some of his favorites. But, some of his first picks would be Parks and Recreation or Boston Legal, as comedy is his favorite genre. Right now, he is watching Only Murderers in the Building. When asked about if he would rather watch a movie in theaters or at home, he says he would rather relax at home, but if he was with his kids, he would watch it in theaters.
If he could go anywhere in the world, he would go to Scotland, as he has never been but has always wanted to go. He would want to go sightseeing in the mountains and try their Scotch. He is more of a tea person, as he does not drink coffee. He enjoys black tea and oolong tea. He also prefers Caribou to Starbucks, but does not go to either often. Back at home, he does not have any pets, but he loves cats.
Lastly, when asked if he would rather live in extreme hot or extreme cold, he preferred extreme cold because he finds too much heat intolerable. Indeed, he is a skier – it is easier to just layer. It seems that his students enjoy his teaching, as he is doing an excellent job at his work here. Welcome, Mr. Nabipay!