Tweet of the Week #140: Deprived Students Explore Virtual Japan

Amidst the pandemic, many Japanese schools had no choice but to cancel their yearly anticipated trips to Kyoto, Nikko and other historical sites.

In May and June 2021, more than 3,500 junior high schools canceled summer trips as an impending fourth state of emergency was looming. Earlier this month, the Japan Association of Travel Agents held a press conference asking the government to compensate for the financial loss caused by the cascade cancellations.

For students, the blow is hard. Traditionally, their 修学旅行（しゅうがくりょこう） (school trip) is the highlight of the year. It’s a rite of passage for graduating classes in junior high and high schools. Thus, some schools came up with an online alternative. Alas, PowerPoint presentations and live broadcasts by tour guides can’t compare to going on a trip with your friends and a change of scenery.

It’s just not the same

オンライン修学旅行の画像本当に生徒たちが辛そう　なぜカバンを持たせるのか… pic.twitter.com/oyDr2oT5oy

— okazsystem (@okazsystem) July 11, 2021

オンライン修学旅行（）の画像（がぞう）本当（ほんとう）に生徒（せいと）たちが辛（つら）そう なぜカバンを持（も）たせるのか…

“The students look like they’re having a hard time in this online school trip picture. Why make them carry bags?

School trip hell

オンライン修学旅行（地獄）
マジでこのご時世の若者かわいそうすぎて悲しみだろ。10代の貴重な時間は一瞬なんだよ… pic.twitter.com/hT88MlXFUB

— あじさい (@tomoe_l) July 8, 2021

オンライン修学旅行（）（地獄（じごく）） マジでこのご時世（じせい）の若者（わかもの）かわいそうすぎて悲（かなしみだろ。

10（じゅー）代（だい）の貴重（きちょう）な時間（じかん）は一瞬（いっしゅん）なんだよ.

“Online School Trip (Hell). Seriously, I feel sorry for young people today. It’s so sad. The precious time for being a teenager is over in an instant.”

How to express ‘it looks like’

Coupled with an adjective or a verb, the suffix そう translates to “it looks like” or “it seems like.”

Here are some examples:

• 空（そら）が暗（くら）くなって来（き）たね！雨（あめ）が降り（おり）そうだね: “The sky turned dark! It looks like it’s about to rain.”
• コンサートはそろそろ始ま（はじま）りそう: “It seems like the concert will start soon. Let’s get inside.”
• 眠（ねむ）そうですね。最近（さいきん）ちゃんと寝（ね）ましたか: “You seem tired. Have you slept enough recently?”

The suffix そう has two exceptions with the adjective 良（よ）い (good) and the negative suffix ない (lacking), as can be seen below:

• 週末（しゅうまつ）はお天気（てんき）良さそう（よさそう）ですね: “Looks like it’s going to be a nice weekend!”
• 悪（わる）くなさそうですね: “It doesn’t seem all that bad.”

Vocabulary

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