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.

   各位村議會的成員，晚安。我在這裡種水稻和蔬菜，就像我的父母和祖父母一樣。今晚，我想提議我們村開始歡迎遊客到我們的農家住宿。

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.

   讓我們坦誠面對現狀吧。年輕人在離開，空房子一年比一年多，遊客經過我們這裡去大城市，卻從不停留。

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.

   我的提議是「農泊」，也就是農家住宿。遊客住在農舍裡，幫忙幹農活，吃這裡種出來的食物。日本農林水產省已經在推廣農家住宿，把它作為振興農村地區的一種方式。

   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.

   好處可能會很大。農民能增加收入，一些空房子可以改成民宿，年輕人也可能在這裡看到未來，不僅在農業，也在旅遊業。

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.

   我聽到的第一個擔憂是語言。我們大多數人不會說英文。但選擇農家住宿的遊客，通常想要的是簡單而真實的體驗。圖片指南、翻譯軟體，再加上幾句練熟的常用語，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.

   另一個擔憂是我們安靜的生活。所以我建議只接待小團體，制定關於噪音和私人區域的明確規則，而且只由願意的家庭來接待。

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變。我是希望先試行一季：由三戶自願的家庭，在春耕期間接待客人。之後，我們一起回顧，再決定是否繼續。

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.

   最後，我們村擁有許多遊客正在尋找的東西：真實的鄉村生活。只要用心地與人分享，我們也許就能讓它延續下去。謝謝大家，歡迎提問。