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Places in Our Community

 

There are many important places that are a part of any town or city in any state or country. These places include police & fire stations, hospitals, post offices, banks, gas stations and supermarkets to name a few. It is important to recognize their symbols and know these places when visiting a new place. This week our students learned to find these places in the city directory and read their addresses and phone numbers.

Police & Fire Stations: Each city has their own police and fire station. It is important to know where they are located or at least have their phone numbers. Police stations can help with theft or lost belongings. Fire workers can help when in a tricky or stuck situation. In case of emergencies always dial 9-1-1. It is important to remain calm and know where your emergency is located.

Hospitals: There are 160 hospitals in Los Angeles County, California. Each hospital has their own emergency room for immediate care. However, your care will be immediate based on your injury and/or sickness. Be sure to look up the closest hospital to where you are staying. If you have an injury or illness that is not severe, America has lots of over-the-counter medicine located in pharmacies in different store. Stores that have pharmacies and over the counter medicine include Target, Walmart, Costco, CVS, and Walgreens.

Post Offices: The United States Postal Service delivers and sends paper mail as well as packages. Each city has their own post office, and mail is delivered to your home Monday-Saturday. Sundays there is no mail, and the post offices are closed. Of course, you can use other forms of mail carriers such as FedEx and UPS.

Banks: They help you with your money. They can exchange, deposit, send and save your money. A few American banks include Bank of America Corp., JPMorgan Chase & CO., Wells Fargo & CO., and Citigroup Inc. Make sure to have your passport, as a form of I.D., when going to a bank.

Gas Stations: If you come over with an international license or with a goal to get an American license, gas stations will be important for making your car go. Here in California, driving cars is the main form of transportation. Some gas stations here are Chevron, Shell, Mobile, Valero, and Texaco. 

Supermarkets: Supermarkets or Grocery stores, are places where you can buy food. We have many different food stores here in California. Most of these stores carry some of the same products, but at different prices, and some may carry some different kinds of food. Try them all out to see the best price and type of food for yourselves. Some grocery stores include Vons, Albertsons, Stater Bros., Aldi, Whole Foods, 99 cent store, Ralphs, Trader Joe’s, and Sprouts.

Here at AELS, we want you to succeed, be/feel safe, and have a great experience in Los Angeles, California while attending school. Below is a chart to help you recognize signs you may see while driving and/or walking around. Keep an eye out for these signs to know where places in your community are located.

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