French envoy's wife passionate about Taiwan

At a Friday French tea reception for the local media, Bonneville for the first time gave an open house tour that offered not just a close-up of her home, but of her own lifestyle as well. She noted that Taipei is a very vibrant city, but at the same time, nature is all around so people can escape from the bustling city when they need to rest.

“The greatest wealth of Taiwan is the people. You have wonderful people, very open and European-like people. To live in Taiwan is really a great discovery,” she said.

Although it is never easy for the spouse of a diplomat to adapt to her husband's new postings, there are also many gains if one is open-minded and can make an effort to learn from the lives of others, she remarked.

“Of course I know I'm a foreigner, but I don't feel like a foreigner here,” she added.

Having spent some 15 years in the Far East, Bonneville, who majored in Japanese culture and literature, said that not long after she arrived in Taiwan, she sensed many influences from Japan, who colonized the island 1895-1945.

She very much enjoys living in Taiwan, however, where she has learnt “chi gong” and can attend performances by groups such as U-Theatre and Cloud Gate Dance Theater.

“When you live in Taiwan, you discover a jewel [everyday],” she concluded.

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