21.
Music. So many musical revolutions started in the US.
22.
Convenience. I love going to Europe. But every time I go I miss the convenience of America. Grocery stores have everything you could want. 80 different cereals or potato chips? We got it. It’s 2 am and I want pancakes? How about a burger? Well the diner down the road from me has it. Within a few miles of my house I can get chinese, jamaican, pizza, korean, sushi, bbq, mexican, indian, thai, etc. Maybe I want to go shopping at 10 pm and buy a toaster. Well wal-mart and target are open.
I admire the simplicity in some countries since places tend to close earlier. Especially on sunday. But here you can get what you want, when you want. I take it for granted until I travel overseas.
23.
THEME PARKS!! There are so many to choose from besides just Disney and Universal and the few I’ve been to have been fantastic.
Here in NZ we have one theme park with ONE rollercoaster and it’s the Corkscrew (AKA baby’s first rollercoaster)
24.
Scientific research especially medical research. USA arguably has the best research facilities in general which attracts the brightest people from all over the planet. So many opportunities too for scientists to advance their career not just in research institutions but also in a ton of life sciences/biotech industries. BUT it’s sad that with all these knowledge we don’t have a universal healthcare system and not everybody can access the fruit of these research.
25.
Handicap Accessible Buildings
26.
The Interstate. Imagine the Autobahn but scaled up to an entire continent. It is one of the safest and least congested road systems in the world and has easily been one of the single biggest contributions to America’s success. The simple fact you can drive from New York to LA in relative comfort on flat, paved roads is insane outside the US. It’s like driving from Moscow to Madrid, except you drive mostly in straight lines and at high speeds with almost no risk of accidents, and the few that occur are often not deadly. There is a gas station and convenience store every few miles, a restaurant every few miles, a rest place every few miles.
27.
LGBT protection. I don’t believe it’s perfect or without its flaws, but in comparison to where my extended family is from (Eastern Europe), I feel much safer recently outing myself here then I ever would where the rest of my family lives. At least here in the states I don’t have to worry as much about possibly being fired, ridiculed, assaulted, ‘corrected’ or killed if other people know about me being a lesbian.
28.
America really fosters entrepreneurial spirit. So many new ideas and businesses and risks being taken. It’s not a coincidence why so many of the new great companies come from America.
29.
Diversity (hard to believe if you’re American, but for real, very few countries handle it as well), the National Park Service, and attracting the world’s best and brightest.
30.
Public restrooms and drinking fountains. In NZ, you’re lucky to have a public toilet within a block of you if you’re downtown. In the US, every shop has one.
