Biology teacher Rakan DiarBakerli, known as “Mr. DB” by his students, starts off each morning twice: the first time at 2 a.m. to tend to his son, Kenaan, and again at 5 a.m. when he begins to get ready for what lies ahead in the day.
The first thing DB does when he wakes up is prepare for his Fajr prayer, which he does each morning at dawn. Next, he changes Kenaan’s diaper and clothes, then gets ready for work. Once his wife and son are gone, DB sits on his balcony and watches the sunrise as he does his daily Dhikr, which is the remembrance of God.
DB arrives at Broughton around 6:45 each morning, eager for the school day to start. However, no day is the same, making them all exciting.
“There is no normal day at school for me, because it is different every day. That’s a reason why I love this job. There is no monotony, and that is all thanks to my wonderful students. This will range from odd comments, weird humour, bad attitudes, and curiosity,” DB said.
When the school day concludes, DB begins his afternoon routine by going to pick up Kenaan from his in-laws and takes him home, where the two of them hang out. Then, DB cleans up the house and prepares food for his wife before she arrives home.
Each night, DB spends time with his family, and before Kenaan goes to bed, DB reads to him and recites Quran to him. Once his son is asleep, he and his wife enjoy catching up on one another’s days.
“As my nightly procedure, I always enjoy sitting with my lovely wife and simply catching up with her one on one about her day and maybe eating a snack, or tea to relax as we talk. We then pray together and and go to sleep. This time is sacred to us and is important to upkeep,” DB said.
According to DB, his family is tight knit and close, and they all love and support each other despite their differences. DB’s favorite part of the day is always the moment he sees his son, who responds with a sweet smile when he realizes it’s his dad.
During weekend days, DB enjoys relaxing and spending time with his family.
“These days will include visits to my parents, my in-laws, family friends and outings with my friends to play soccer or volleyball. I’ll also take this time to paint, draw, prepare for my Graduate Record Exams and even play a little Smash Bros,” DB said.