A Proposal: Let Visitors Stay on Our Village Farms

Full script

Read the whole talk.

All slides in one place. Read it through once, then practice slide by slide.

1. 01Let Visitors Stay on Our Village Farms

   Good evening, members of the village council. I grow rice and vegetables here, like my parents and grandparents did. Tonight, I'd like to propose that our village start welcoming visitors to stay on our farms.

   各位村议会的成员，晚上好。我在这里种水稻和蔬菜，就像我的父母和祖父母一样。今晚，我想提议我们村开始欢迎游客到我们的农家住宿。

2. 02Our Situation

   Let's be honest about our situation. Young people are leaving, more houses are empty every year, and tourists travel through our area to the big cities without stopping.

   让我们坦诚面对现状吧。年轻人在离开，空房子一年比一年多，游客经过我们这里去大城市，却从不停留。

3. 03The Idea: Nohaku

   My proposal is nohaku, or farm stays. Visitors sleep in a farmhouse, help in the fields, and eat food grown right here. Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries already promotes farm stays as a way to revitalize rural areas.

   我的提议是“农泊”，也就是农家住宿。游客住在农舍里，帮忙干农活，吃这里种出来的食物。日本农林水产省已经在推广农家住宿，把它作为振兴农村地区的一种方式。

   Source: Japan National Tourism Organization, "Initiatives to attract educational travel to Japan in areas promoting farm stay" (promoted under the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries)

4. 04The Benefits

   The benefits could be significant. Farmers would earn extra income, some empty houses could become guesthouses, and young people might see a future here in tourism, not only in farming.

   好处可能会很大。农民能增加收入，一些空房子可以改成民宿，年轻人也可能在这里看到未来，不仅在农业，也在旅游业。

5. 05"We Don't Speak English"

   The first concern I hear is language. Most of us don't speak English. But visitors who choose farm stays usually want simple, real experiences. Picture guides, translation apps, and a few practiced phrases would go a long way.

   我听到的第一个担忧是语言。我们大多数人不会说英语。但选择农家住宿的游客，通常想要的是简单而真实的体验。图片指南、翻译软件，再加上几句练熟的常用语，就能起到很大的作用。

6. 06"What About Our Daily Life?"

   Another concern is our quiet life. That's why I suggest small groups only, clear rules about noise and private areas, and hosting only by families who want to.

   另一个担忧是我们安静的生活。所以我建议只接待小团体，制定关于噪音和私人区域的明确规则，而且只由愿意的家庭来接待。

7. 07A Pilot Season

   I'm not asking the whole village to change. I'm asking for a pilot season: three volunteer families hosting guests during spring planting. After that, we review together and decide whether to continue.

   我不是要求全村都改变。我是希望先试行一季：由三户自愿的家庭，在春耕期间接待客人。之后，我们一起回顾，再决定是否继续。

8. 08Conclusion

   To conclude, our village has something many visitors are looking for: real rural life. By sharing it carefully, we might help keep it alive. Thank you, and I welcome your questions.

   最后，我们村拥有许多游客正在寻找的东西：真实的乡村生活。只要用心地与人分享，我们也许就能让它延续下去。谢谢大家，欢迎提问。