The most important thing about a stick shift is that you save fuel. A car with an automatic transmission will usually eat between one and two litres of petrol more than a 'normal car' (I love that expression). And if you drive at an uncomfortable speed where the automatic is always at the verge of shifting but doesn't, the engine will be in the high RPMs all the time and eat not only about twice as much fuel as usual, but the wear is immense, too.
Furthermore, if your car is dead by the roadside, it's far easier to reanimate a stick-shift car than an automatic, whether it's by pushing, towing or electrical connection.