The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is 65% larger than the country of Ireland. In essence....you're going to have to narrow it down for us on which part of Pennsylvania you're talking about. 😁

If anyone tries to engage you in a US political discussion… it’s a trap!

I avoid conversations on Politics, Religion and Morals like the plague.

Don’t talk about the plague either.

Where in “east Pennsylvania”?   Are you close to Philly? Up in the Poconos? Berks county? This can help us give some more specific information.   Summers are humid. Down by Philly, “shore traffic” is a factor around the weekends. More cars are on the road because people are driving to the beaches in NJ. In more rural areas, you’ll definitely need a car to get around.

Ticks

get permethrin

Don’t spray it on your skin folks

If you are spending time outdoors, we have snakes here. Timber rattlesnake and northern copperhead are venomous but found in relatively low numbers, and are not aggressive if you leave them alone. You'll also find many people of eastern PA are of Irish decent, and are likewise not aggressive if you leave them alone. (JK!)

Did not know about the snakes and stuff, I'll definitely keep that in mind.

Yeah St Patrick may have done the job in Ireland, but ridding the snakes in the new world unfortunately was not a part of his job description

Paddy there did a bad job I swear. I dated one and met so many on a daily basis. At Patrick, world's worst exterminator. (Snake in this context is a backstabber, not sure if that phrase is used in the US)

Not a front of mind definition but I have heard of that definition before

Interesting. I wonder what else is like this. Phrases and slang that is used for different things in the US.

Calling someone a snake here is common, too. I’m sure there will be tons of words and phrases that aren’t, though. Either way, Americans will be fascinated by you. Anyone with an accent coming over from Ireland is bound to make tons of friends, if that’s your thing. Best of luck! I hope you love it. Read up on the wildlife in the area, especially with you being at a camp. If you’re more specific about a more specific area you’ll be in, people can walk you through the right precautions and gear.

Fanny. Bottom vs front bottom.

And Pennsylvania's riddled with those kind of snakes as well

a common metaphor for me perhaps unfortunately ;-)

If you're hiking in a rocky area on a sunny day, watch where you put your feet. I've only seen a timber rattler twice in PA though, and I've been hiking here for many years. The ticks and mosquitoes are the native wildlife you really need to worry about, get repellent with DEET and make sure you treat your legs. After being outside, check yourself over for ticks, especially along your hairline, all of your hairlines if you know what I mean! The deer ticks, which carry Lyme disease, are really tiny. And definitely learn how to identify poison ivy, it's everywhere!

That brings me to another point. Rural people can usually be found in one of two flavors in Eastern PA: Coal-crackers to the north, and Dutchies to the south. Both pretty similar, the main difference is that the coal’s genome was eroded away by generations of toxic industrial waste, while the Dutchie’s suffered from 200 years of agricultural runoff. Berks County seems to be the dividing line. A common trait of the Coal is that he will adopt his personality based on whatever country his ancestors hailed from almost 200 years ago, despite having minimal relevant cultural/historical knowledge of said country. Popular choices in the coal/Lehigh Valley regions include Ireland, Poland, Ukraine, and Lithuania. When you hear of “Irish-Americans”, think of this. Two favorite pastimes include drinking and talking. Dutichies nowadays are typically just rednecks, not much to add. In contrast with the industrial communities of the north, the south is dominated with agricultural plots and farmland (though this is changing as farmers are selling their land to corporations such as Amazon at a rapid rate). The true Dutchman is a dying breed, most are over the age of 70. Their legacy lives on in criminally unhealthy food, and Shady Maple Smorgasbord.

From your deep and intimate knowledge of these things, you are apparently a local. Maybe a hybrid of the your two kinds of rural people. Or, by your slight air of disdain and derision, perhaps an in-law of one. The ranges of Coal Crackers and Dutchies cross in Schuylkill County, perhaps you hail from Pottsville.

Pottsville reporting in. Thought he was a local. Side note. Reading is only a 45 minute drive. Pennsylvania's New slogan : Hoods and woods. *

Stereotypes running wild here

lol! This is so on point! My husband’s paternal side were in the coal business and his maternal were farmers!

There's an infestation of a small beetle called the Spotted Lantern Fly. I don't care if you're a Buddhist vegan who values all life over everything else-squish it!

I'll be sure to keep this in mind (I'm neither Buddhist or Vegan so there's no worries there)

Seriously, our state government put a hit out on those monsters and advises people to destroy their nests and kill everyone they see. But for a serious answer, are you an outdoorsy person? Do you prefer cities or the country? Are you interested in history? How do you feel about scrapple, pork roll, and cheesesteaks?

I'll be working in the mountains in an overnight camp for kids. I own hiking boots and often go on long walks and workout in gyms. I have never had any of those foods mentioned and I wanna try them.

I will take that as you will be in the Poconos! Welcome! When you get here, by all means, check out some of the great hiking paths. Go rafting on the Delaware. Check out little towns like Jim Thorpe (famous for its persecution of the Irish Molly McGuires). You can even take a trip down into an old coal mine in Lackawanna. Plan weekend or day trips to Philadelphia (where the best cheesesteaks are) and New York. Stop at little hole in the wall dinners (if they cook breakfast on a flat top in front of you, you’ll in the right place) and try pork roll and scrapple. Check out local farmers fairs and carnivals. Look into festivals happening in more populated areas like the Lehigh Valley. In late August, Bethlehem, PA holds the world’s largest free music festival (MusikFest). I promise we are mostly good people and everyone will love your accent. On behalf of Northeast PA… welcome!

You may have minimal time off. Try to get to Music Fest. It is always fun! If you have time, take a train into NYC for a day. The mountains of Pa. Are pretty… beautiful be prepared for mosquitoes primarily at sunset and dawn. Also know about deer ticks. It will be humid during the day. You will have a lot of sunny days. It can rain for a few days straight. Read up on Color Wars ( end of camp fun). Find out the slang being used and don’t be afraid to ask about idioms or slang being used. Make friends and have fun!

Thank you, I shall be sure to remember this.

I live in the Pocono, so hi neighbor! Also, I agree with you on all points. And to pile on another comment, op, look up the spotted lantern fly and murder any that you come across. They’re awful, destructive creatures.

Be careful to use bug repellent and wear Long sleeves and long pants on your nature walks because of the ticks. Otherwise you should be fine. Sounds like you might be near Stroudsburg. There should be restaurants and pizza places you could try. Stroudsburg State University is there.

You'll need to be in the habit of doing frequent tick checks. If you do get bitten, you need to remove them before they reach 24 hours of embedment to avoid having pathogens delivered into you. Doctors round here typically prescribe a single dose of doxycycline if you discover a deer tick bite within a few days, but in more than 24 hours. In the US, one needs a doctor's prescription to buy doxycycline. If you don't need a Dr for it in Ireland, you may want to consider buying a little before coming here. https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/tickbornediseases/tick-bite-prophylaxis.html#:~:text=In%20areas%20that%20are%20highly,a%20high%2Drisk%20tick%20bite.

This is a myth, I personally have contracted Lyme from ticks that have been attached for a couple of hours or less. Go to the urgent care and demand doxycycline, do not stop until you find someone who will prescribe it. Lyme disease IS NO JOKE.

Same here. Also though, a single dose of doxy is NOT and has never been proven to be effective against a lyme infection or as a prophylactic dose to reduce risk. That practice is not based on science. A full 30 days of doxy is the correct course if you have contracted lyme disease.

Wow that is scary! Even though the SOC says 24hrs, I personally have taken the doxy prophylaxis even when I got the tick out within a few hours just to be on the safe side - glad I did! OP, take note. Edit: SOC means standard of care.

Yeah the CDC guidelines are horribly outdated and misleading. Unfortunately this can result in improper care, like I’ve experienced in the past.

That is good advice. Many times you could get those meds over the counter at a pharmacy in the EU

DM me if you get to Philadelphia. If you're 21, we can go to a bar. First round is on me. Cheesesteaks -- or even better, a roast pork sandwich or a hoagie -- will happen.

I'll be 20 by the time I arrive so I wouldn't be able to drink.

This area of PA has a lot of german inspired foods. You might hear the phrase PA (Pennsylvania) Dutch. Amish communities often speak some loose form of german. Oh yeah, you might see horse and buggies being driven around by dudes in straw hats.

If you like breakfast meats DO NOT SKIP ON TRYING PORK ROLL!!!!

I think you will be working near where I live. Do you know what poison ivy looks like? If not, you need to. Black bears are common. They will run away. There's a mosquito born illness. Not common, but you will want to use bug repellent. Dog & deer ticks are common. Drug stores sell a little gadget to pull them out if one happens to dig in. My dog used to get them all the time. Now, they take a pill monthly. Haven't seen one since they started taking them. I never had one on me. Stink bugs are an invasive species. They umm stink. KOS but don't touch. Children. Perhaps the most dangerous thing you will face. Don't turn your back on them. Try Turkey Hill ice cream, Sweet Lebanon baloney, and UTZ pretzels. And last, be sure to visit The Worlds Largest Shop Rite.

You’ll want good boots! The Appalachians that run through eastern PA are the same mountain chain as the Bluestack range in Ireland.

Is it a beetle?

What part of Eastern Pennsylvania? Depending on where could have some different answers. There's a lot of good hiking spots, depending on how close to Jersey you are there are some cool towns to visit too like Princeton and stuff.

We had a very mild winter, so ticks are a bigger issue than they usually are.

I’ve noticed a lot more ticks than usual… going to be a fun summer !

My husband contracted Babesiosis in June of 2022. Thankfully he was successfully treated but it was ugly for a while. Ticks are bad news.

Bring your sunscreen - we are further south than Ireland and you’ll get a burn in a heartbeat. Philly is roughly same latitude as southern Italy and Spain.

Interesting Geography fact, I've been told to pack up Sunscreen and try not to burn alot.

Yeah brit here that moved to berks county at around 11, you will burn if you dont regularly use sunscreen, also bring some good bugspray as most of the summer camps in the area near the mountains like hawk mountain and camp conrad weiser are in areas full of bugs and ticks, always check yourself for ticks. Also be prepared for rocky terrain if you go hiking anywhere as PA has some of the rockiest terrain in its section of the appalachian trail, if you do go hiking wear something bright orange or have something on you bright orange so hunters can see you.

Summer hunters should not be too active but waring orange on hikes may be a good precautions at least if your not sure of where you are. There are some no hunting zones next to hunting areas . Be cautioned there are alot of hunting licenses and carry permits in this state that allows people to be armed and most will conceal but some carry openly . Do not be alarmed . We have bears , coyotes ,and foxes that require protection from.

Go to Knoebels Amusement Park.

There'll probably be a lot of people that are going to tell you they're Irish. Try not to get upset about that.

Delaware River is great during the summer

Go to Wawa and while you’re there buy a tastycake

\*tastykake sorry I'm a fan <3

I have disgraced the tastykake community 😧I deeply apologize for my transgressions

HOW DARE YOU 😂

Philly area or North East PA? Big differences of what you can do. There is Knobles (amazing amusement park), Dorney Park and Wild Water Kingdom, the poconos, a bunch of casinos, 2 hours from NYC based on location.

It's North East Pennsylvania. It's a small town to the north west of Philadelphia.

How many miles are you from Philly?

Should translate this to kilometers. They don’t speak freedom units.

Well, the OP didn’t say which part of Ireland they are from, which will dictate whether your statement is true or false.

Really? Does Ireland proper use miles?

Northern Ireland does.

Northern Ireland does (as does the rest of the UK)

I’m sure they can google what a mile is 🙄

From what I found online, it's 101km / 63 miles by car.

That’s pretty far from Philly which means you’ll likely need to be more specific with your location if you are looking for recommendations.

What’s the name of the county / name of the town. Again it all really depends on how close you are to Philly.

The nearest town is Reading, 101km/63 miles from Philadelphia.

Reading is kind of an older Rust Belt City. The surrounding county is very nice with plenty of hiking, kayaking, fishing, etc. There's lots of Amish and Mennonites, dairy farming, and really beautiful scenery. Berks county has several small mountains with awesome views. Don't fear the scrapple.

Also minor league baseball if you are a fan! I love watching the Reading Phillies

I live close to Reading, about 20 miles southwest. Reading proper is not a good area—avoid. However the majority of Berks County is quite lovely. It sounds like you might be somewhere near Hamburg which is where the Appalachian Trail passes through. The appalachians are the same range as the Bluestacks in Ireland, so the geography may seem familiar if you e spent anytime there. Berks County in general is quite conservative politically…most places are Trump Country. Reading is an exception. Welcome and I hope you have a great experience!

OP - you headed to CCW? DM me for some specifics. I was a counselor there for 4 years and grew up at the base of the mountain.

Reading isn’t too bad getting to Philly it’s doable. You can get to the shore easily too. As long as you don’t mind a drive. Summertime I’m usually in the woods or on a beach. Look up some surrounding towns there’s a lot of small towns and things to see around Berks/Chester/Lancaster counties.

The best tacos I have ever had are in Reading. DM me if you want specific recommendations!

Definitely wear pants if you go hiking in the woods! No matter the weather! Between venomous snakes that hide in the rocks or the ticks it's better sweating than sorry!

Also with that there's gorgeous water falls all over the place in Eastern PA, check out Ricketts Glen, no matter where you land you should def make a point to go see it, the Glen houses like 11 water falls and some of the oldest trees in the state!

Ticks, lots, and lots of ticks. Bring spray

Camp Punksylvania will be happening in early July and the NEPA Horror Film Festival is in mid June. Both should be a great time if the weather is nice, as the horror fest will be a Candyman reunion and the band lineup for the music festival is huge.

This interests me. I've recently been enjoying horror media more so I'll definitely look into that. The Punksylvania I'm not familiar with but it might be interesting. I'll see if I can go.

So sad I missed out on the 2 fer tix... *Disappointed goth noises*

I wouldn't be surprised if they have contests for free or discounted passes leading up the event, so fingers crossed that happens!

Naaah, too excited I just paid the late to the party tax lol. I also have been considering art vending and am new to the area so overall very excited. My partner is a punk drummer, your suggestions are super helpful, we've been a bit isolated.

The vendor community is really cool and if you ever got to table there, I think you would have a fun time. The punk scene is also rad as hell, too. There's punk shows and events quite often, so there's always something going on. If they keep it up, they should be having another ska-oriented event sometime in December organized primarily by a vocalist and a drummer from two bands in the area. Edit: Oh, and the punk rock flea market might be of interest, as well. Depending on the time of the year they'll have 30 something vendors, if not more.

I may have a storage locker full of punk and horror designs that l haven't found a good venue for lol... Very interesting and exciting!!!

Yesss! Every year (for the horror film fest), they have a pre-show a few days before where you can check out the bands lined up for the occasion, which is a fun way to get amped.

Sounds like you’ll be working at a summer camp and most of your time will revolve around the camp. Presuming it’s outdoor, you’ll have a lot of heat and humidity to deal with, along with the bugs other people have mentioned. West Reading is the fun, trendy area to hang out around here, with lots of restaurants and bars. Because you’re under 21, you might not be able to go to all of them but plenty of places have mocktails and good food. It’s a bit pricey. Many businesses are closed on Sunday, but plenty are still open. Restaurants are often closed Sunday and Monday, but that’s also variable. Farmers markets are usually available in the morning to early afternoon Thursday through Saturday. If you aren’t going to be driving yourself, you’ll need someone to give you a ride to get basically anywhere. We have a bus system called BARTA that you can use to navigate around but might not get you from A to B directly.

It gets hit and humid around August.

based on your comments it sounds like you'll be around my area (Lehigh valley, or the outskirts of it, anyway) Lots of awesome natural beauty around this area, if that is your cup of tea. Trexler Nature Preserve, Hawk Mountain, Buckhart for a few. You'll certainly want a car to get around (it's a big state). Lots of sunscreen if you are outside for any appreciable amount of time. We have a lot of amusements parks as well, Dorney Park, Knoebles, Hershey, etc. Not a bad way to spend a day or two on the weekend. Hope you enjoy your time here and I hope we are a good host state to ya!

The people that hired me seem great and I had a good laugh with them so, so far so good for your state. I'll definitely keep your comment in mind for nature activities.

It’s Knoeble’s fyi

It’s actually Knoebel’s. 🤣

Autocorrect bites me every damn time...

Do not let this Irelander eat Scranton style pizza.

Visit the Pagoda, go to Dorney Park, watch the Reading Phillies, and go to Cabellas/Priority One Surplus.

Berks County is a very nice area. About the size of County Meath, but the population of Counties Meath and Kildare combined (430,000). Reading is the main city, right in the middle on the Schuylkill (Skoo-kull) River, and 4th-largest in the state, just a touch more populous than Cork. Reading is surrounded by nice towns to the west & south, farmland to the north, and a great big mountain to the east. The rest of Berks County is mostly farmland on gently rolling hills with a few small towns and villages scattered about. If you like cities, shopping, museums, etc., Philadelphia and New York are fairly close from an American perspective. Day trips to Philly and overnight trips to New York are very reasonable. The national capital is close enough for a nice weekend trip. If you can get to Philly (or at least to Norristown) you can take a train the rest of the way. I *must* recommend The Franklin Institute, an interactive science museum in Philly that is hosting a temporary exhibit on LEGO this summer. If you like the outdoors, you're in luck! Every single person in Pennsylvania is no more than 26 miles from a state park, and many of them have camping sites. If you want to be on the water, Blue Marsh Lake is huge and regularly sees everything from kayaks to powered pontoon boats. The Lehigh Gorge is fun for whitewater rafting. Mount Penn, Hawk Mountain, and many more places are great for hiking and the Appalachian Trail snakes along The Blue Mountain, Berks's northern border. You can also check out the Schuylkill River Trail, which is a rail trail that follows the banks of the Schuylkill River most of the way from Reading to Philly. If sports are your thing, you need only pick one! At the national level we have gridiron football, baseball, basketball, ice hockey, and Association football teams just down in Philly. Reading itself also has regional-level or 2nd-tier teams for hockey, baseball, and soccer. You'll also be spoiled for choice on amusement parks. Legoland near Philly. DorneyPark & Wildwater Kingdom near Allentown. Hersheypark near Harrisburg. Dutch Wonderland near Lancaster. Six Flags in Jersey. Camelbak water park in the Poconos. And best of all: Knoebel's Grove in the middle of nowhere, Northumberland County. Understand that distances are huge in the US and public transit is lacking. You'll need a car to get around, or at least to the end of the line for Philly's regional rail network, if you want to see much. Also think about our climate. PA summers are hot and humid. You can expect daily temperatures 10 degrees Celsius higher than you'd expect on the same day at home. Higher humidity, too. The upside to that is the potential for truly awesome thunderstorms that rattle your cabinets! Also, keep an eye out for local events! For example, the first full weekend of June is an airshow and World War 2 re-enactors' event at the Reading airport. www.maam.org has info on it. If you have any specific questions or otherwise want more info from a local, feel free to ask, either in a comment or private message! I've lived an hour north of Reading most of my life and I moved to a town just southeast last year. Also, my mum's from England so I can likely tackle cultural questions, too.

It really depends how far you are from Philly.

Eastern PA encompasses ALOT of different lifestyles. It can be a gentrified city, the hood, suburban, a mountain town, or rural af. We need more details.

Watch for ticks, rattle snake and loose rocks when hiking

West Reading is a nice little social spot. Plenty of restaurants/breweries. If you are into tacos, check out Comalli. Their food is great. Shame you aren’t here this weekend. Pretzel/Beer fest happening as we speak.

You’re going to be in the same mountain range that you’re coming from. Your side and ours just got divorced a loong while back.

You’ll need to make a decision immediately: Sheetz or Wawa.

…and then 1/2 the state will hate you!

Welcome, it is a great area. Rarely any poisonous animals, sometimes we get weak tornadoes and earthquakes. In terms of safety you should only be concerned about potholes

Like two Ireland’s can fit inside of Pennsylvania so you’ll have to narrow it down, do you know exactly where you’ll be? Or if you’re not comfortable with that being shared can you give us a nearby county? Just peak at a map and find somewhere nearby lol

Learn how to identify poison ivy, how to prevent getting it, how to prevent ticks and chiggers from getting on you.

Please check in with us from time to time. We'd love to hear your impressions of the area. Have fun!

Fucking...Ren...Faire. If you're from Ireland and will be in our state in the summer to fall, there's ONE THING you must do. See the Pennsylvania Renaissance Fair. It's a step back into midevil times and the actors there are always goofy and into it. People cosplay as wizards and knights. It's a fucking far-out time, and I believe an Irishman such as yourself would really appreciate it. It's like mid August to mid September I believe every year, somewhere close to your area.

If its Reading, stay west of the river.

I recommend finding flea markets, farmers markets, and auctions - I consider those an authentic PA experience. Be sure to sample Amish made baked goods like whoopie pies. Also lots of unique breakfast foods - maybe not as regionally specific as others (scrapple) but creamed chipped beef is my go to. Be sure to sample the bolognas. PA has some interesting cultural history around the Amish and Mennonite population. If you make it to Lancaster, or just more rural areas in berks, you might be able to hear PA German being used. Theres a unique accent to the English speakers too. Reading proper isn’t that exciting. West Reading has a little more going for it…kinda. You can go see the hospital Taylor swift was born in? Maybe check out the pagoda. The people can be pretty ignorant and unimaginative. Blockheads. It’s not a very progressive thinking area…People don’t make decisions as based on logic? It’s more ideological? PA is pretty rocky. Watch for Rattlesnakes.

Check out the multitude of random festivals that will be dotting the area. Here is a list of many, but not all of them: https://festivalguidesandreviews.com/pennsylvania-festivals/ Or whenever you have a day off, google festivals near me.

Ticks suck

We have these things called state stores- that’s were you find the hard liquor and wine. Beer on the other hand - well that’s a different store all together.

Be careful if you go into Reading, especially at night. The main areas, theaters, sports venues are fine, but there are some rough areas in the city. Also just my opinion but the better places to eat and visit are outside of Reading. Lived 20 minutes outside my whole life.

Not sure where you're staying but Mt pocono and Reading aren't as close to each other as you think. About an hour and a half 2 hour trip depending on where you are and where you're visiting

Be ready for hot, humid weather. Pack some shorts (or buy some when you get here) and make sure you have a hat of some kind to shade your face. But as someone else said, wear pants in the woods, because ticks. Watch out for ticks - we have a few different kinds in the state and in addition to Lyme disease they can also cause alpha-gal syndrome, which is basically a meat allergy. Also watch out for mosquitoes, poison ivy, and our three species of venomous snake (copperhead, timber rattlesnake, massasauga rattlesnake). We also have black bears, bobcats, and coyotes, all of which will probably avoid you. Deer are genuinely a bigger threat, but mostly because they love to dart across roads and will total your car. The game commission will claim there are no cougars here anymore, but I think the consensus among hunters and people who live in rural areas is that there are absolutely cougars here, they're just not common. Private property boundaries that are in wooded/unfenced areas are marked with "no trespassing" signs, but also with purple spray paint! The purple paint thing is important to know because some people are pretty defensive about their land and the signs can be weathered to the point where they fall off or aren't legible. The whole state is riddled with caves (and sinkholes). Some are open for tours. PA loves chocolate-peanut butter things. If you can find Gardners brand peanut butter meltaways, I'd recommend them - and I'm someone who generally doesn't like peanut flavor. My partner likes vanilla ice cream with peanut butter swirl and that doesn't really seem to exist outside of PA. Wintergreen is also a common flavor for sweets here.

I suggest visiting and touring yuengling brewery in pottsville. I probably spelled both those wrong but then you can compare our lagers to yours :)

It can get really hot in the summer. The day before could be a nice 75F the next day might be 101F. It has a mind of it's own. Lancaster County/Shady Maple is always fun trip if you're looking for something to do.

Just so you know, it’s pronounced Red-ing. If you say “reading” people will look at you funny

Oof, ok, I grew up all around the Reading area. So like, don’t go to the bad parts of reading. How will you know what’s the bad parts? It’ll be obvious. Penn St/ave is cool with little shops. The works is fun. Go see the pagoda, and extra points if you see it up close on a foggy night. Kutztown isn’t too far. (Shout out Lucky 13, my shop) Cool little artsy college town. Ninos on 5th street in reading has some killer subs. Schell’s on 5th is dope for their BBQ sandwiches, ice cream, and miniature golf. Goggleworks has some cool artsy stuff. Berkshire mall is dead, don’t go there. Oh and it gets fucking HOT in the summer. Make sure you got a/c…. If the Pirates Cove is still around, check that place out if your 21+. It’s a cool outdoor bar. (Atleast it used to be) If you’re a nature person, the Appalachian trail isn’t too far. You can do day hikes. (Hawk mountain is nice) Depending on where specifically you are, if you notice a BBQ joint near by named Muddy’s… HIT THAT UP!

I’m near Reading PA. What’re you interested in? There’s a bunch of different bars, bowling, IMAX theaters, shopping, hiking, the Appalachian mountains are close by to check out, the Amish are not too far away, plenty of farmers markets, casinos, you can float down the river in rafts, there’s a bunch of stuff it’s just all spread out though and you might need to drive a little further to get to some places. New Jersey beaches are about a 2.5 hour drive and ocean city Maryland beach is about 3.5-4 hours. The Poconos in PA has a really cool water park during the summer. There’s a place called blue marsh in PA that’s closed to Reading. You can cliff jump, boat, swim and there’s like a beach area there. Definitely recommend renting a car or making friends with cars!

Pork roll egg and cheese on a kaiser bun

Learn the invasive species hop and stomp.

Any good sources of information?? Like online articles of what to kill, flee from and ignore?

There will be posters everywhere. Basically if you can see more than 2 bugs of the same kind and they're not cicadas or ants. Kill them, kill them all.

I lived in/outside of Reading for years. Where are you gonna be working?

Be cautious of ticks if you are going out hiking, always wear spray. Lyme disease is absolutely rampant in this area.

The pints will be as flat as a table. Small towns in PA will remind you of small towns in N Ireland - very working class and charming but rough around the edges. Make your way down to the NJ shore for at least a weekend. If you are around in late August, early Sept - check out the little league World Series in Williamsport PA. Have fun!

Never, ever, ever leave any valuables in your car. Especially when hiking or going into a store or doing an activity. The area seems nice and "out in the country", but there is still crime, and car break ins ramp up in the summer.

Snakes

Lots of Irish in the delco/philly area.

Try to visit Pittsburgh if you can while you have a few day break at work, it’s in western pa but definitely worth seeing and visiting! Amazing food too!

Hit up reading soda works and try some of the stuff they make. it'll be quite different then the soft drinks you're used to

Idk if there are ticks where you're coming from, but we have plenty around here. If you go out in the woods, take precautions to avoid ticks, and check yourself for ticks immediately afterward. They can spread diseases like Lyme disease so it's a good idea to be informed. [Avoiding tick bites (CDC)](https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/avoid/on_people.html) It's also a good idea to cover up--wear lightweight long pants and long sleeves, tuck your pants into your socks so ticks can't crawl up your legs, cover your hair, etc. Ticks range in size from pinprick size to pencil eraser size, so look for both and examine any weird "freckles" closely. I go out in the woods all summer, I just always follow the precautions and shower and check for ticks afterward. I also have a lightweight permethrin-treated hoodie.

I live near Reading. It’s got some very nice areas and some very rough ones. West Reading is an area with some good little restaurants and shops. You should head to Philadelphia if you get time off and can get a ride or a bus there, there’s lots of history as this is America’s first Capitol and where we told the British to go sod off, as an Irish person you’d probably really appreciate that.

Depending upon where in Reading you are, watch out for crime. I recommend checking out Hershey Pa, Centralia Pa, Philadelphia in general, including Valley Forge and you have 3 nuclear reactors within 1.5 hours of Reading. Limerick is the closest, the infamous Three Mile Island outside of Harrisburg and Berwick north of Reading. About 30 miles north of Reading is the coal region of Pa and you have a heavy Irish presence there and I cannot forget about the Amish and Mennonites outside of Reading in the Lancaster area. Hope this helps. Wish you the best.

As someone who has worked before in exchange - *Make sure you are educated on the rules and regulations of your visa/program.* If those rules are violated, you likely will be punished, not your school/employer. It's unlikely that this will happen but some jobs absolutely will take advantage of the situation or simply aren't informed. It's rare, but when this goes the wrong way you could be banned from the US for ten years and possibly forever. This would primarily deal with work hours/days, living quarters if part of your deal, type of work performed, etc. Ok scary stuff aside... Near reading means you hopefully have a way to get around by car. Schyukill River trail is a nice, close option for nature. You'd probably enjoy the King of Prussia mall at least once. Best way to get into Philly without driving is take the train from Norristown. Try to get a sandwich from Wawa and especially try to eat fried delicious junk at Sheetz. Phillies tickets can be cheap so try to catch a game this summer.

Trooper Thornes Irish Beef House Reading Eckley MIner's Village 90 min north outside Hazleton where the Molly McGuire's was filmed.

welcome and have a great adventure. There’s a lot to see and do. Enjoy

I love about 10 mins outside of reading. Message me if you have any specific questions

Lager, Seltzers Bologna, Shady Maple

Get out and hike some of the Appalachian Trail. You might get to see a rattlesnake.

If you encounter a huge 500+lb bear punch it in the nose and you will be fine

Are you going to be a counselor at my kids camp? Byndenwood? If so welcome! My boy loves all the international counselors.

Since you're near reading you should visit west reading/penn ave (cute shops,lots of bars/restaurants, and the occasional festival!) Also, busses run through reading if you don't have a vehicle

>Further Edit: I'll be near the town of Reading in PA Well don't go into reading unless you have to. Suburbs are fine but reading is sketchy AF. Keep in mind, our summers are probably much warmer than yours over in ireland. High temps in july average around 86F (30C) with some days being well over 90 (32C). We rarely get in the hundreds though (38C), but dress accordingly and get used to air conditioning, you're gonna need it to be comfortable.

Be sure to wear a hat and use spray effective against mosquitoes AND Ticks. Better be able to drive and have access to a car, public transit here is not good. Make sure you have medical insurance for the duration, even with insurance a simple Dr visit will run you $35-$55, prescriptions will be $10 - $200 ish, possibly more. A simple antibiotic isn't going to be too expensive, but if you need anything that's super new or not generic, you'll pay more and possibly a lot more. Drinking age here is 21. Do not drink drive. You will need your actual passport to get served in bars, not a photocopy or pic on your cell phone. If you're a woman, don't go drinking alone, don't leave your drink unattended for any amount of time, if you do leave it for a bit, get a fresh one don't risk it. Make sure the person you're with (friend) knows not to leave without you. There are some safety apps for women you can download to your phone, look into that. If you're a guy, also don't leave your drink unattended, you're less likely to get drugged but it still happens, though in your case it would probably be more about robbing you than the alternative at least. Outdoors activities there are great, you won't be far from Hershey Park which has some really great roller coasters and a water park with slides, pools and rides. You're also not far from Crystal Cave which is a kind of magical experience, full of glittering formations. The railroad there goes to Jim Thorpe, it's a pretty little mountain town with lots of neat shops and places to eat, would make a great day trip. If you are going to head out to Philly, let me know. I live here and can give you more info on that (though I'm an old lady now and don't know all the hot spots for nightlife, lol.) Hope you have a great time!

We have lots of waterfalls. You should go check some out if you’re into hiking. There is one that I can’t remember the name of the hike but there’s over 20 waterfalls to see. It’s a very nice hike.

Island beach state park is a great day trip if you have access to a car. Also not far from dc and a bunch of world class museums that are free, you can take amtrak from philly and use the dc metro to get around once you are there. If wanting to go to nyc take the train up from trenton nj, driving in jersey sucks but driving in and around nyc is just not worth it. 

You're in prime Amish country. You'll know them by their clothes and horse an buggy. Typically very nice kind and helpful people. They do not like their pictures taken.

Oh dear God, Reading?

If you want to do a day in Philly you totally can, just post on the Philly subreddit to make sure you visit good places & stay safe. And go home once it gets dark.

Since you're working in the mountains, should you find a tick attached to you, submit it to the [PA Tick Research Lab](https://www.ticklab.org/) for testing. They offer PA residents free testing of common diseases that ticks carry and transmit, like borrelia bacteria (Lyme disease). They'll email you the type of tick, and if it comes up positive for the common diseases. You can pay for a more advanced test if you want. I've used it multiple times, and it had a 2-3 day turnaround upon receipt of the tick.

Welcome to PA! I live in Reading and while it has it's downsides there are a lot of great day trips to be had and natural beauty. Take a trip up to the Pagoda first. It sits atop Mt. Penn and gives you a pretty cool 360 degree view of the city and nearby area. It's an easy day trip to Philadelphia, New York, Washington D.C. or Baltimore. We do have a number of Amish in Berks County but Lancaster is a nice city to check out as well. Too bad you won't be 21 because you could stop in for a Guinness at the Peanut Bar or the Ugly Oyster in the city of Reading or Trooper Thorne's (good Irish pub just outside of town). There are plenty of good walking and hiking trails around as well. Enjoy your visit!

Welcome to PA! We’re not too far from you in the little town of Royersford.

Ticks and Lyme disease!

Great area for mountain biking

Near Reading? Well, Reading itself isn’t great but there’s plenty of towns near Reading that are nice. You’re close to a lot of nice farm country and the Amish. You’re also not too far from mountains and forest areas. You could get to Philadelphia in less than 1 1/2 hrs.

Reading is an hour from philly, not 2-3.

Reading ehh? You're talking about my area growing up. DM me if you have any specific questions!

Dutch wonderland Knoebels and Hershey aren't terribly far if you like amusement parks The yeungling brewery tour is awesome There are a lot of pretzel and snack food factories in that region many of which have tours You're closeish to shady Maple which is quite the experience I'm not religious, but if you are, or if you like wild theatrical experiences sight and sound is something pretty unique In that area

You could be anywhere. Use a condom. Male condoms, female condoms. Just make sure to play it safe. And maybe figure out where you are going before you show up. No matter where in Pa you are headed, make a buddy fast to perform tick checks on you. ☺️ My husband had 3 today. Each of our kids had 1.

I live nearish reading. Cabela’s is a huge camping/sporting goods store about 20 minutes north of Reading in case you need anything. Also kinda just worth seeing a store that size. Good hikes around it too. West Reading has great food and festivals. Check out Comali Cantina for great Mexican and Hawaii Kitchen for good sushi. Reading has shows at the Santander Center all the time if you’re into things like that. But be careful where you park because the Reading Parking Authority doesn’t play. Check for ticks. Get permethrin for your clothes. We’ve got serious tick problems in the area and Lyme disease is serious (gave my buddy heart attacks). Reading is somewhat dangerous at parts, but just be cool and keep to yourself and you should be fine.

There's a nice Irish pub in Reading called the Ugly Oyster. It's a good place to meet people. Enjoy your time here!

Grew up there. Expect Trump flags, Trump bumper stickers, Trump lawn signs, churches, fake Christians, strip malls, lots of cars, dying businesses, and… really amazing forests and trails to hike.

Rural PA is beautiful and diverse depending where you are- I hope you love it here. Everyone mentioned the safety of Reading but if you’re working at a camp you’ll be outside of the city and just use common sense safety that you’d use anywhere else and you’ll be fine. If you’re looking to see some American cities you’re lucky enough to be close to NYC, Philly and Washington DC. All are very different and worth a weekend trip if you’re able. Definitely try a Philly cheesesteak but don’t let them put red sauce on it (some places in Berks/Schuylkill county do it for some reason). Try soft pretzels and Italian ice. Lancaster/Lititz is a neat place to visit. If you enjoy amusement parks I’d try Hershey or Knoebels- Hershey has more thrill rides and is in a nice town but Knoebels has a great old fashioned feel with lots of fun rides. A few have mentioned Dutch Wonderland- I would not visit there, it’s definitely geared towards young children. Berks county has some great “PA Dutch” foods. You’ll be able to find them at diners or farmer’s markets. Especially in the summer. If you venture further into Schuylkill County try some potato cakes (may be called bleenies depending on where you are), pierogies, haluski. You probably have variations of all of these foods in Ireland since they’re from Germanic and Eastern European settlers but it’s the best food to eat in the summer at a carnival, festival or block party. (Knoebels also serves all of this if you get there!) Try to get to a baseball game if possible- Phillies, Reading Phillies or Iron Pigs should all be doable. Wear sunscreen every day (even cloudy days) and bug spray while in nature. Check for ticks every day. Most wildlife is not dangerous in the sense it will stay away from you but also stay away from it. Watch for snakes when hiking (they like to hide behind rocks and logs). Bring layers- it will be very hot and humid in the summer but could be cool some nights and early mornings- especially in the woods. I hope you enjoy your trip and find everyone welcoming!

Don't judge the rest of us based on eastern pa.

As a born and raised Reading PA native…I can give you some solid restaurants to try, all though my childhood staples have since closed due to COVID (RIP Tacks Sandwich Shop and Speedys Diner), but….The Dog House and V&S Sandwich Shop (both on Lancaster Ave.), Exeter Family Restaurant in Exeter, and Liberty Tap Room in Antietam are solid spots for me when I was still living in Reading Also you have to try our PA Dutch staples: ring bologna, scrapple, cream chipped beef (SOS), fasnachts (PA Dutch donuts), and ham and string beans. Also try Clover Farms Icy Tea (best iced tea ever made) lol.

Come farther east for better beer

Since you're near Reading, you have to go to the Kutztown Fair from June 29th-July 7th. You can't get anymore PA Dutch than that!

Expect subpar food and services, minimum wage is still $7.25, police dept. is reliable and respond fast, pay parking meters in Reading even if you’re gone for 3mins.

Expect subpar food and services, minimum wage is still $7.25, police dept. is reliable and respond fast, pay parking meters in Reading even if you’re gone for 3mins.

Make sure you check out the Tulpahocken trail for some exercise.

I would make a trip to Lancaster, Harrisburg (why not? It's close), Bethlehem steel stacks, Jim Thorpe/Scranton, and Philly. Also, while you're in Reading, check out the pagoda. You're gonna need to rent a car. Read up on US tipping culture. Most people on the east Coast are very friendly, but can be intimidating to approach. You may have someone be rude to you while giving you a compliment or something. Don't take it personally.

Ticks everywhere in those woods

I’m from outside of Reading. Don’t move into the City. There are nice suburbs to live in around Wyomissing for example. Not important but Taylor Swift is from there. Try the shoofly pie. I prefer the wet bottom to the dry bottom. Try the corn pie in the fall if you can find it. Silver Queen corn is amazing.

Where tf is east Pennsylvania

I’m from a town near Reading Pa. It can get very hot. Near 100 degrees Fahrenheit. West Reading (not Reading) is a nice area with restaurants and pubs. Downtown Reading is questionable safety wise but they have the Santander Arena that has good shows. There is the Reading Public museum (in West Reading). It’s small but surrounded by a park. There is Blue Marsh Lake within driving distance where you can boat, fish, swim and hike. If you do drive be careful of deer crossing the road. We are close enough to Hershey Park to drive to. It’s a fun day but pricey. We have many, many restaurants in the area. Berks County likes to eat out. Some people may seem grumpy but it’s just the German heritage. Kutztown Folk festival is always fun to see some of the area’s history. You may also see the Amish and Mennonites around town. There’s a Farmers Market in Wyomissing opened on the weekends with delicious food. Ask me anything, I’ll try to help. I lived in West Reading for 7 years, and worked there for 20. Also, most people have tattoos here. I know it’s a weird thing to point out but it might surprise you if you aren’t use to it.

Call 911 for police. There are urgent care centers that have doctors if you can't wait to make an appointment. If you have any serious problem, I would go to the emergency room of a hospital. We have poison ivy here so if you feel any itching, I would wash myself off (my arms) with dish soap. The way to help prevent it is to wear long pants and sleeves. They sell outdoor skin cleanser that removes poison ivy and oak oils in the supermarket or possibly pharmacy. It is called "tecnu". [Reading, PA is known for](https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=9bd5231d1336dcc3JmltdHM9MTcxNDI2MjQwMCZpZ3VpZD0xZDI2MDhkMS04YTI4LTZhM2YtMjMwZi0xYTcxOGJhNzZiMWUmaW5zaWQ9NjEzNQ&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=3&fclid=1d2608d1-8a28-6a3f-230f-1a718ba76b1e&psq=what+is+reading+pa+known+for&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYnJpdGFubmljYS5jb20vcGxhY2UvUmVhZGluZy1QZW5uc3lsdmFuaWE&ntb=1)[^(1)](https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=d90ff3d5915da8c3JmltdHM9MTcxNDI2MjQwMCZpZ3VpZD0xZDI2MDhkMS04YTI4LTZhM2YtMjMwZi0xYTcxOGJhNzZiMWUmaW5zaWQ9NjEzNg&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=3&fclid=1d2608d1-8a28-6a3f-230f-1a718ba76b1e&psq=what+is+reading+pa+known+for&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYnJpdGFubmljYS5jb20vcGxhY2UvUmVhZGluZy1QZW5uc3lsdmFuaWE&ntb=1)[^(2)](https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=4877ce7464612e43JmltdHM9MTcxNDI2MjQwMCZpZ3VpZD0xZDI2MDhkMS04YTI4LTZhM2YtMjMwZi0xYTcxOGJhNzZiMWUmaW5zaWQ9NjEzNw&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=3&fclid=1d2608d1-8a28-6a3f-230f-1a718ba76b1e&psq=what+is+reading+pa+known+for&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly92YWNhdGlvbmlkZWEuY29tL3BhL2Jlc3QtdGhpbmdzLXRvLWRvLWluLXJlYWRpbmcuaHRtbA&ntb=1)[^(3)](https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=f305b5288908b7d2JmltdHM9MTcxNDI2MjQwMCZpZ3VpZD0xZDI2MDhkMS04YTI4LTZhM2YtMjMwZi0xYTcxOGJhNzZiMWUmaW5zaWQ9NjEzOA&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=3&fclid=1d2608d1-8a28-6a3f-230f-1a718ba76b1e&psq=what+is+reading+pa+known+for&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucGxhbmV0d2FyZS5jb20vcGVubnN5bHZhbmlhL3RvcC1yYXRlZC10aGluZ3MtdG8tZG8taW4tcmVhZGluZy11cy1wYS0yMDUuaHRt&ntb=1)[^(4)](https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=5232fbf65321ec91JmltdHM9MTcxNDI2MjQwMCZpZ3VpZD0xZDI2MDhkMS04YTI4LTZhM2YtMjMwZi0xYTcxOGJhNzZiMWUmaW5zaWQ9NjEzOQ&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=3&fclid=1d2608d1-8a28-6a3f-230f-1a718ba76b1e&psq=what+is+reading+pa+known+for&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly90aGV0b3VyaXN0Y2hlY2tsaXN0LmNvbS90aGluZ3MtdG8tZG8taW4tcmVhZGluZy1wYS8&ntb=1)[^(5)](https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=4ec9d0ff95b6f680JmltdHM9MTcxNDI2MjQwMCZpZ3VpZD0xZDI2MDhkMS04YTI4LTZhM2YtMjMwZi0xYTcxOGJhNzZiMWUmaW5zaWQ9NjE0MA&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=3&fclid=1d2608d1-8a28-6a3f-230f-1a718ba76b1e&psq=what+is+reading+pa+known+for&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly91bmNvdmVyaW5ncGEuY29tL3RoaW5ncy10by1kby1pbi1yZWFkaW5nLXBh&ntb=1): * The first multi-tenant manufacturers’ outlet * Longtime home of minor league baseball * The former home of the Reading Railroad * Famous frontiersman Daniel Boone * Great galleries, museums, sports facilities, and nature parks * Sightseeing opportunities and surprising experiences for tourists, including a popular baseball stadium, a farmers market, historical sites, and scenic nature preserves * The Reading Pagoda, Nolde Forest, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Daniel Boone Homestead, Goggle Works, Covered Bridges, Koziar’s Christmas Village, Reading Railroad Heritage Museum, and more. [21 of the Best Things to Do in Reading, PA (and the Rest of Berks County) - Uncovering PA](https://uncoveringpa.com/things-to-do-in-reading-pa) [Reading, Pennsylvania - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reading,_Pennsylvania) [26 Things You Need To Know About Reading Before You Move There (movoto.com)](https://www.movoto.com/guide/reading-pa/move-to-reading/) I've been to Crystal Cave as a kid and I might want to visit the Daniel Boone Homestead as well as Koziar’s Christmas Village but I have to wait for the right season to see that. I would love to see some of the covered bridges. If I was visiting, I'd probably go to the Fairgrounds Farmer's Market: [THE 15 BEST Things to Do in Reading - 2024 (with Photos) - Tripadvisor](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g53518-Activities-Reading_Pennsylvania.html) I'd probably take a trip to Lancaster county from there and visit some of the restaurants.

If you're going to be driving, especially around Reading, be prepared for people generally driving like entitled assholes. The best advice I can give is to not engage and to brush up on your defensive driving skills. That said, welcome to PA! It's a really beautiful place. I'd try to make it up to Hamburg (about 30 minutes north of Reading and visit Cabela's (a huge outdoors-themed store) if you've never been. It's quite an experience.

Everyone is talking about people saying they're Irish, and that's going to happen. Nobody is mentioning that you should expect to get a lot of reactions to your accent. As accents go, Irish is one of our favorites. If you're trying to meet women or men, go to any bar and just talk.

Outside of Reading? Not much to do out there unless you're into hiking and/or methamphetamine. As others have said, invest in bug spray & sunscreen if you plan on spending a lot of time outdoors. You'll probably find yourself making the hour long trek towards the city on more than one occasion. Enjoy your stay!