Years ago, Daniel Thiombiano emigrated from his home country of Ghana to live in America. In Ghana, he lived with his family, parents and three other siblings. Thiombiano has held many jobs in the United States, including being a high school teacher, radio presenter, and political affairs reporter. Socially, he made new friends and attended many events in the local community. 

Thiombiano stated that his first two years in the US were challenging because his family was in Ghana. Despite this, he was able to see extended family in Washington D.C. when he first arrived. 

In addition, Thiombiano has said that he often gets homesick because he does not have the opportunity to visit family members in-person. Yet whenever possible, his parents occasionally visit, which is always a great surprise. Over the last seven years, he has developed close relationships with friends in the US. Although they are not his family of origin, he has established a network of family and friends away from home. 

Thiombiano came to the United States for two reasons, including to have an experience of the world beyond Ghana. He enjoys traveling and the cultural experience that goes along with it. The second reason behind Thiombiano coming to the United States was to begin his Master’s program. His research prior to traveling revealed the state of Massachuesetts as an intellectual hub with a lot of great educational institutions, which fueled his decision.

As of now, Thiombiano has been teaching at Holyoke High school for 4 years. He has enjoyed the experience immensely, referencing “the cultural richness of the city of Holyoke in general,” adding that “it fills his heart with joy to see great talents that the students showcase in school everyday.” 

Thiombiano’s experience as an educator at Holyoke High School has also been positively impacted by his fellow educators and administrators. He notes the “tremendous spirit of collaboration and sense of community at Holyoke High School.” 

All in all, Thiombiano’s favorite subject to teach is Environmental Science. Referencing the local impact of his subject, he stated that “the city of Holyoke has a beautiful ecosystem.” Each day, Thiombiano uses that ecosystem as a backdrop for instruction to create content-relevance for his students.