On 4/18/18 at about 11:30 AM, I observed everyday life in Reading with a few classmates. We started our observations at a small restaurant called Taste of Crepes. The restaurant is located on the Penn Ave in West Reading. There was a narrow door leading into a tiny, tightly packed room with about ten tables. Most people that came in first tried to pull the front door open, despite the clear sign that said “push”. There were eleven other customers inside with us, varying in age, gender, and race. There was a nice ambiance about the room with the classy decor and calm, relaxing music playing. The waitress came to our table and engaged in some polite conversation before taking our orders. As I was looking around the room, I noticed 5 security cameras throughout the room, not including any that might be in the back of the restaurant. There was very little foot traffic outside due to the cold weather. It was only about 40 degrees while the sun was out, and naturally got colder as the clouds intermittently blocked the sunlight. Our table was directly next to the heater, so the cold weather didn’t really bother us. Even though it seemed like there were relatively few people around, the street was lined with vehicles and there was a steady stream of vehicles driving down Penn Ave. It seemed as though everyone around us was encapsulated in their own lives, not taking notice to anything else around them. After leaving the restaurant, we walked towards the West Reading Center parking lot. Everyone was either inside of one of the buildings along Penn Ave or in a vehicle, as we didn’t pass anybody on the walk. The street was clean, with little to no litter in sight. There was not very much vegetation along Penn Ave. It was quiet except for the sound of vehicles passing by. The parking lot was about halfway full with assorted types of vehicles. All in all, it was a relatively quiet and uneventful day.

Level of education in Scranton, PA

Poverty in Scranton, PA

Poverty in Reading, PA

Level of education on Reading, PA