Thanksgiving at Excel English Institute

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect and give thanks for all the abundance and joy we have in our lives. So, we asked our students what they are thankful for.

“Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful about all God’s gifts. I am very grateful about my family. I think they are the most important thing in my life. When I see my sibling smiling and my parents walking holding hands, I feel blessed. These are the small details that make me happy.”

Elena
Maracaibo, Venezuela

“We have to recognize the blessings of life every day. Today I am grateful for having new opportunities to learn and know new cultures. I am thankful for health and my family. I am grateful for being in Dallas.”

Rochelle Costa
Porto Alegre, Brazil

“I’m thankful for my life. There are a lot of good things that I love and am grateful for. My family is amazing, and my friends are awesome. I’m glad that I have a degree in medicine. It’s good that I can improve my skills in English. I have opportunities to develop myself and I am thankful for that.”

Elizaveta Medvedeva
Chelyabiusk, Russia

“This year was a big year for me, maybe the most remarkable year of my life. I am thankful for all what my mother fought and achieved. It is thanks to her that I have this wonderful life. I am grateful that this year I could build a strong relationship with my brother and father. And I am blessed for being healthy and having a stable life with those who want me well.”

Bruna Gaspar
Lisboa, Portugal

“I want to thank my classmates. Since coming to this school, I have met many classmates from other countries. Their cultures are so amazing, and I really enjoy every moment in the class. Thanks to my friends again!”

Phoebe
Taipei, Taiwan

“I am grateful for studying English here. After starting working, I felt my English was really poor and I needed to learn English. I am glad that I made it. I wish my English will soon be fluent like a native.”

Jiyeon
South Korea

“There are many things that I am thankful for. First and foremost, I am thankful for my parents who gave me birth in this world. I am what I am today all because of them. Secondly, I am thankful to all my family members who have been around me directly and indirectly during my good and bad times. Thirdly, I am thankful to all my teachers who taught me good behavior and discipline. Fourthly, I want to thank Excel English Institute too, which has improved my English language. Finally, I am thankful to this beautiful nature which has continuously supplied my oxygen to breathe and survive. In conclusion, I grateful to many things in life.”

Subodh Ale
Kathmandu, Nepal

“I am so grateful that my family and I have healthy lives. I went to church yesterday morning. The minister said, “You are 40% of the luckiest people if you wake up without feeling terrified and have clean water for drinking and food for eating.” After I heard that, I just realized how grateful I am to live in a peaceful environment. I’m so happy to have family and friends and thank God every day.”

Estrella
Tianjin, China

“The first thing I am thankful for is my husband and our lives that we are creating for us here. For the small things that he does for me every day and for being just a great husband. The second thing is for my family and how even when they are far away, they look out for me and like to be present in my life. The third thing is for God, who is always with me every second of the day, protecting me and helping me. And the last thing is for just being alive and having this great life and great people next to me.”

Gabrielle Unglaub
Sao Paulo, Brazil

“I am so glad to have a chance to learn with others in Excel school. All students here have their dreams and every one of them is working on them with solid steps. The faculty is very knowledgeable and warm-hearted. Moreover, the school holds different themed activities each month to help foreign students understand American culture and each other. I will choose Excel Institute again if I have to do it again.”

Patrick Li
Shanghai, China

“I’m thankful for being here. Some people can’t take enough classes, but I can take enough classes and go to the US to learn English. So I should be thankful for this situation and my parents as well.”

Ken
Tokyo, Japan

“My name is Khoa Bui (my English name is Jason). I’m from Vietnam. This is my first holiday in America. I actually had a plan to live and work in Japan before, but the plan changed from last year. I want to say THANK YOU to those who have supported me in these times. I am also very lucky to be able to transfer my Master’s degree without taking the time to relearn. Besides that, I also have a plan to apply for Master’s and PhD scholarships in the future. I think I’m very lucky and happy because so many favorable and good things have come to me at this time.”

Jason
Vietnam

“I am thankful for my family who are always with me in the good and bad moments. I’m also thankful for this life because it teaches me everyday, and for my friends who are always there to talk, share good times and support and love me. I am also grateful for surfing because it is a sport that helps me disconnect from the bad days, and for teachers who help me to be a better in my profession and as a person.”

Javier
Lima, Peru

“My name is Benji. I’m from Thailand. Thank you for friends in Colorado and my boyfriend. Last week we made the trip to this wonderful place. It was so much fun and will always be a good memory. We cooked dinner together for the first day and the day after that we drove our car to the mountain and stayed a couple of nights at a hotel. It snowed all day and I made a snowman and stayed in a hot tub with snow all around. That was so good. I loved it!”

Benji
Thailand

“I am grateful for my family and for my friends. I am grateful for this year because I met great people that I now call friends. I am grateful for all the projects I carried out this year and to my family that is always with me. I am grateful for good health just like every member of my family. I have a lot to be thankful for. I am healthy and happy.”

Anahi Manzanares
Mexico

“My name is Shima. I’m from Iran. Today I want to write about some things that I am thankful for. When I start to count them, I find they are many and many things that I am thankful for. I am thankful to breathe the air because if I couldn’t, I would die. It’s a very basic thing, but it’s important. I am thankful for everything that I have and for having love in my heart that helps me. I love everybody, and I don’t have contempt. I am thankful for when I see happy and successful people. This makes me happier. I am thankful because I am not jealous with other people. I am thankful for my family because they are always with me. When I have them, I am not alone. I am thankful for a healthy body because of this I am able to do everything that I need to do. I am thankful for the space that I have for life. Many people do not have this, but I have it. I am thankful for everything that I have and I pray for everybody to have everything they need. I am thankful for my mom more than anything in the world. She is the most important person in my life. She teaches me to have patience in live, love everybody, help everyone and she always teaches me to be a good person for myself. She said when you are good for yourself, you will be a good person for the other people. I have many many things to be thankful for. “

Shima
Iran

“I am thankful to be able to sit in my comfy chair at home after a tiresome day, then put on my headset and listen to relaxing music.”

Davi
Brazil

“I am thankful for many different parts of my education. I have the opportunity to grow up in schools with wonderful students in a great learning environment. Not every child has as good of luck as I do, which I feel very special about. If I had to pick one thing that I’m most thankful for, it would be my teachers throughout school. I have had wonderful teachers. Our teachers have always been wonderful role models, someone I can look up to and admire. The teachers that we have always taught us the correct way to learn, respect others and to always try and do the best. I can’t thank my teachers enough for all the things they have done and do throughout my life. Without teachers, children wouldn’t be able to learn, grow to their fullest potential and shine in the real world. Teachers don’t get enough credit for all that they do. I wish people would come to realize how important they are.”

Krisztina
Romania

“I’m thankful for everything. The important thing I’m really thankful for is my parents because they do many things for me, and they make my life as comfortable and loving as possible. They taught me to be a good person. I’m grateful for my friends. They always stay with me when I need them. When I was really weak, they were there for me. They are the only people I can show my emotions to. I’m grateful for music. It helps me a lot when I am tired. The last thing I want to be thankful for is books. For me, books bring joy and lesson. I learn a lot from books, proverbs, and things that we use in our lives. These things have made me more clear and mature. “

Nhi
Vietnam

“I am grateful for this beautiful year of my life in which I have had the opportunity to live many beautiful experiences like having my family healthy and happy. I am thankful to have work and be able to study at the same time. I have also had a lot of abundance in every way like food, housing, and good relationships with family and friends. I also appreciate the opportunity to be a very productive person. In conclusion, I am so grateful for all the good things in my life because it makes me happy and even the bad things because I have learned and improved.”

Magui
Mexico

“There are many things I am grateful for in the world. One of them is trees. The reason why I am thankful for them is that they make me feel refreshed. First, they usually give fresh air, so I get rid of stress when I drive through them. Next, they have green leaves in spring and summer, so I feel refreshed looking at them. Third, there are yellow, orange and red leaves in fall, so it makes me in a good mood. Finally, the snow on the branches and twigs is so beautiful in winter. I relieve stress by seeing it. In conclusion, I am so grateful for trees.”

Songhee
Seoul, South Korea

“What I am thankful for is the strangers who helped me in the past, who are helping me now and who will help me in the future.”

Anonymous
TOEFL

“I am thankful for the opportunity that I have to still continue with my studies in English. I am aware that if I do my best and if I put in all my thoughts, attention, motivation, inspiration and all my heart, I will become a teacher soon.”

Luis
TOEFL

“I am thankful for my daughter, Nimerah. She is the most precious gift from God. She motivates me when I feel I am losing sight of my goals. She inspires me when there is no hope. Moreover, she is a light in the darkness.”

Meenaz
TOEFL

“I’m thankful for understanding that life is not a piece of cake. Being able to accept this fact about life and learning to handle it is why I am thankful.”

Desiree
TOEFL

“I’m thankful to the good people that helped to grow, and also for the people that didn’t want to helped me by showing me what not to do.”

Sonia
TOEFL