In America we often focus on all the bad things that are happening around us. While we shouldn’t be blind to the bad things, I believe that we need to remember the small things that we are blessed with that many countries don’t have. While I have been traveling across the world, I have noticed that I take many of the smaller things for granted and have realized that even the smallest things to you and me are really privileges. Some things I took for granted where:

1. Hot water

When taking a shower in other countries, you have warm up the water for about 15 minutes before the shower. In America, you can just turn on the water and it's ready for the shower.

2. Showers and toilets are separate

In many other countries, the shower and toilet are combined with no separation, while in America there is often a tub or curtain separating them.

3. Toilets that can take toilet paper

In many countries you can’t flush the toilet paper, while in America we don’t think twice about flushing wads of paper.

4. Dryers

The saying “hanging out to dry” doesn’t just come from out of the blue. Many counties don’t have dryers and have to hang things up in order to dry. This may not seem like a big deal to them, but Americans are spoiled with dyers and many of us think of the life without a dryer as a foreign concept.

5. Brand names are cheaper

Brands such as Apple, Nike and Michael Kors might seem to be expensive for Americans, but what many don’t realize is that the prices often skyrocket in other countries.

6. Technology

To Americans, we can never get the new technology fast enough. Whatever it be -- a new laptop or the newest gaming system -- Americans don’t think twice about receiving the new hot item. In other countries, they get the newest technology anywhere from months to years later than Americans.

7. Medicine

America’s technology isn’t the only thing more advanced than often other countries. America’s medicine is more advanced and affordable than many other countries.

8. We get entertainment first

From movies to the new music, America often gets the new stuff before other countries.

9. We don’t need to learn other languages

In America, it is rare to know more than more language, mostly because other countries cater to Americans by learning English rather than having Americans learn their language.

10. Freedom

Even though many other countries have freedom, Americans often forget how lucky we are to have freedom and the rights that we have.