Sahuaro welcomes Mr. Harvey Unayan, an algebra teacher for freshmen. He is kind, God-fearing, and strong. Mr. Unayan immigrated to the U.S. on July 28, 2022, grateful to his mother for supporting his journey. He shares, “I want to try learning how to live here in a first-world country. I have the freedom to travel to any state in the U.S., and it’s a good experience for me.”
“I speak five languages. Hiligaynon was my first language, spoken primarily in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines. Tagalog, my second language, forms the basis for the national language in the Philippines. Cebuano, one of the Visayan languages, is spoken by millions across the central and southern parts of the country. The fourth language I speak is Karay-a, a language that reflects both the agricultural and coastal lifestyles of its speakers, incorporating many terms related to fishing, farming, and local marketing. Then, English is my last language”.
Mr. Unayan began his career at a technology company in the Philippines, where he focused on advertising products and played a key role in sales and marketing. In 2016, he transitioned to teaching, working with students in grades 7-11. Mr. Unayan finds it easier to maintain students’ attention in his current teaching environment, as they now focus on one subject, rather than multitasking subjects across different grades.
“I like math because my old teacher, Ms. Reyes, was my favorite math teacher in 2008, back when I was in 7th grade. My algebra teacher was very good at math. She was clear with explaining her lessons, she pushed me to my limits, and she helped me become better in math and helped me become the person I am today.”
Mr. Unayan operates a business in the Philippines while teaching in Tucson. This allows him to earn enough money to send back home to his family. He hopes that when he decides to return to the Philippines, he will have sufficient funds to settle there. Additionally, Mr. Unayan expresses a desire to visit Israel in search of the truth about Jesus and to gain a deeper understanding.
Mr. Unayan is concerned about his family’s well-being. He values family above all else, and even though he feels he lacks emotional support because he lives so far away and it can be stressful in the U.S. with having to adjust to a new culture, accent, and lifestyle, his main goal is to uplift his family by addressing their financial needs. He does this by helping students acquire various skills, including teaching students about their culture. His family runs a business, and they are looking to collaborate with him to establish goals, boundaries, and budgets. Meanwhile, one of his brothers teaches art at the Ridge Reservation in South Dakota at a high school.
In his free time, Mr. Unayan enjoys listening to R&B music because it is calm and refreshing. He also loves playing chess online when he feels bored. Although he is generally extroverted, he sometimes prefers to connect with people from around the world through these activities. He also loves basketball, a popular sport in the Philippines. As a child, he enjoyed playing the game, and his favorite player is Michael Jordan.
One of the quotes from Mr. Unayan is “always stick to the people that care about me. In my past experience, I didn’t absorb that; I learned how to love myself first and to give myself a pep talk, especially now that I’m alone. Most of my time there, I felt independent making decisions; at the end of the day, you can see if it’s good for you or not.”
Mr. Unayan’s journey as an algebra teacher at Sahuaro High School highlights his gratitude for the opportunities afforded to him in the U.S., reflecting a deep appreciation for freedom and new experiences in his life. His story serves as a reminder of the resilience and hope that immigrants bring to their new communities.
