Starting life in Japan

1. Vocabulary List

てくれる — Review in Story Context: The bus driver did a favour for the speaker, so くれる is correct (not あげる or もらう).

Example: バスの運転手（うんてんしゅ）は、にこにこしながら、「大じょうぶですよ」と言ってくれました。(Basu no untenshu wa, nikoniko shinagara, "daijoubu desu yo" to itte kuremashita.) — "While smiling, the bus driver said to me, 'It's all right.'"

と vs ば — Both Mean "If":

と uses the dictionary form of the verb; describes natural or inevitable results.
ば uses the ば form; describes conditional hopes or expectations.
Example (と): 日本語（にほんご）をれん習（しゅう）すると、どんどん上手（じょうず）になりますね。(Nihongo o renshuu suru to, dondon jouzu ni narimasu ne.) — "If I practise Japanese, I'll get better and better at it."
Note: If using ば instead, the verb form changes: する → すれば

〜始める / 〜終わる — Start / Finish Doing:

Structure: [Verb stem (masu-stem)] + 始める (start) / 終わる (finish)
Example: 来週（らいしゅう）から、語学学校（ごがくがっこう）に行き始めます。(Raishuu kara, gogaku gakkou ni iki hajimemasu.) — "I'll start going to a language school next week."

ば Form — Expressing Personal Goals:

Example: 日本語がぺらぺらになれば、うれしいです。(Nihongo ga perapera ni nareba, ureshii desu.) — "If I become fluent in Japanese, I'll be glad."
Note: ば form of なる is なれば

Story — Nisha Starting Life in Japan:

日本に行く前に、色々なじゅんびをしておきました。(Nihon ni iku mae ni, iroiro na junbi o shite okimashita.) — "Before going to Japan, I made various preparations in advance."
かばんの中にタオルやブラシが入っています。(Kaban no naka ni taoru ya burashi ga haitte imasu.) — "In my bag, there is a towel and a toothbrush."
明日は時間があれば、まちを歩きたいです。(Ashita wa jikan ga areba, machi o arukitai desu.) — "If I have time tomorrow, I want to walk around town."

Kanji Note — 手（て）in Professions: 手 means "hand" but also appears in job titles.

Story Context: Nisha's diary — arriving in Japan and starting new life (language school, exploring town)
Grammar Focus: てくれる selection (vs. あげる/もらう), と vs ば conditionals, 〜始める compound verb
Key Contrast: と + dictionary form for natural results; ば + ば form for personal hopes/conditions