Immigrant Students and Being Thankful to the United States

I am yet to understand why I should be thankful to the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA for my higher education.

Did the government pay for it? No.
Did they sit tests and write papers for me? No.
Could I have gotten the same education and made the same achievements anywhere else? Probably, given the amazing primary school education I received that enabled me to score at college standard when I arrived here. I always came in at Rank 1 from K-_____, whenever and that hasn’t changed. Studying in the United States, has nothing to do with it.

That does not mean I am not grateful for the opportunities this country has given me. I recognize them first-hand. I realize we are more ‘free’ here as women, our sexualities are less repressed, we may have more freedom of expression and more activities that we can do to distract ourselves.

I don’t see why I should be thankful to anyone besides my professors and colleagues, my parents (footing the bill) and myself (hard-work and intellectual acumen) for any of my educational achievements.

If you are an immigrant student, do speak.