Max Chernov, a YouTuber who posts videos about the lives of expats around the globe, sat down with Ryan, who says the Irish are actually “tougher” than Americans
Matt Davies Trendswatch Reporter
14:32, 19 Dec 2025
Ryan (L) was asked to name the “biggest surprise” he had encountered (Image: Max Chernov/YouTube)
An American expat based in Dublin has shared his astonishment at discovering how the Irish handle the local weather. Max Chernov, a YouTuber whose content centres on the experiences of expats worldwide, interviewed Ryan, an American who had relocated to Ireland 12 months before their conversation.
In his 2024 video, entitled What it’s like to be an American in Ireland, Max questioned the US expat about various aspects of Irish life, covering topics from driving and stereotypes to accents and patriotism.
However, when asked to identify the “biggest surprise” he’d experienced, Ryan disclosed that he’d observed that the Irish “don’t care about the weather” and proceeded to recount an amusing story involving a shower cap.
He explained: “Like, I’ve seen people out like cycling in a downpour, and I don’t know, I mean, if I was out on a bike, and it started to rain like that, I would find kind of the nearest sheltered place and wait.”
Ryan explained how locals simply “carry on” with their day (stock image)(Image: Getty Images/Image Source)
Ryan described how locals simply “carry on” with their daily routines and remarked that his work colleagues appear to cycle to the office “no matter” the conditions, regardless of whether it’s wet or cold.
He added: “And they just get on a bike, and they wear – it almost looks like a ski suit – waterproof pants over their work clothes, waterproof jacket, waterproof, you know, shoes or shoe covers.”
He continued: “I have one colleague who came to work the other day wearing a shower cap to keep her hair dry under her bike helmet, so they just go on with life, ignore the weather; it’s pretty funny.”
When Max quizzed him on whether he thought Irish people were “tougher” than Americans, Ryan didn’t hesitate: “hell yeah”.
Ryan was quizzed about life on the Emerald Isle(Image: Max Chernov/YouTube)
Meanwhile, another American expat, food and travel journalist Shayna Conde, recently travelled to County Cork for a festive Christmas break and was left stunned by the lush “greenery” she encountered.
The journalist, who now lives in Barcelona but hails from Bergen County, New Jersey, chose to explore West Cork and Dublin after seeking what she called “greenery, the tranquillity of nature, and maybe a sprinkle of luxury”.
In her write-up for Business Insider, Shayna, who stayed at the Liss Ard Estate in Skibbereen, penned: “I hoped to spend time in nature during my trip, but I wasn’t expecting to see greenery similar to that of “Jurassic Park” in the Irish countryside in the winter.”
During her visit, she spent time “wandering the Irish Sky Garden”, an impressive installation created by American artist James Turrell. The experience clearly resonated deeply with Shayna, who described herself as “forever changed”.
She reflected: “As I lay on the rock slab, staring at the sky and hearing blades of grass shuffle in the breeze, I was reminded how wonderful it is to just be present in the moment.”