Name: Marguerite Paget

Age: 40

Nationality: French

Occupation: PR and communication manager for the Kyotographie International Photography Festival

Likes: Learning, sharing, laughing, dining with friends or family

Dislikes: People who are sneaky, shifty, or manipulative

1. What first brought you to Japan? My husband, Yannick Paget, is a conductor and a composer. He was working with Japanese maestro Yutaka Sado in Paris. Sado invited him to work with his new orchestra in Japan and so we moved here with our family.

2. What's keeping you here? My husband's work, my own work and the amazing quality of life we have in Kyoto.

3. Is there anyone in Japan you really admire? I very much admire mixed couples. I believe it's an enormous challenge to take on somebody else's culture and raise a family with a double identity. Having said that, it makes for rich experiences and creates amazing families.

4. Where do you go to escape Kyoto? In summer, we often go for a swim at Lake Biwa. During winter, we ski near Makino. Kyoto is surrounded by some lovely places.

5. What's your favorite Japanese word or phrase? Gambatte, gambare (good luck; give it your all). It reflects the hard work that Japanese people put into doing something.

6. What's your favorite phrase in any language? A quote by French playwright Moliere: "One must eat to live, not live to eat." I think these words accurately describe our sense of materialism and consumerism.

7. Describe your most embarrassing moment. Arriving at a Japanese dinner party at 9:30 p.m. It had obviously finished by then.

8. What's the most exciting/outrageous thing you have ever done? Escaping local Indonesian mafia, hunting alligators in Louisiana, backpacking in India, living in rural Japan.

9. If you could share a bottle of wine over dinner with anyone from history, whom would you invite? I'd love to invite Jesus Christ, Buddha and the Prophet Muhammad at the same time — I have a couple of questions for them!

10. What song best describes your work ethic? Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry, Be Happy." There's always a solution to every problem.

11. How would you get an elephant into a refrigerator? We are doing that every day at Kyotographie. You have to ask nicely and keep insisting until he does what you ask.

12. Name three uses of a stapler without staples. Pretend hammer for my kids, pretend phone for my kids, pretend percussion instrument for my husband.

13. What superhero would you most like to be? None of them. I am actually very happy with the powers I have in real life.

14. What do you think about while standing on the train? I have definitely been thinking much less since buying a smartphone ...

15. If you won ¥1 million in the lottery, what would you do with the money? I would buy paintings, photographs, sculptures and pottery. I would love to be rich enough to become a collector.

16. Tell us a quick joke. Why can't my bicycle stand by itself? Because it's too tired!

17. How would you find a needle in a haystack? I would pray to St. Anthony of Padua.

18. Who would win a fight between a lion and tiger? Is the tiger female? The tiger then!

19. What did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to be a doctor, a reporter, an actress, a politician and an explorer. Most of all, however, I wanted to be in love.

20. Do you have any words of advice for young people? Get out, take a deep breath and go for it!

The Kyotographie International Photography Festival will be held in Kyoto from April 18 to May 10. For more information, visit www.kyotographie.jp/kg2015.html