Beijing’s an urban jungle, and in any jungle, we need tools to survive and thrive. As urban jungle dwellers, we’ve managed to blend practicality with style, resulting in the modern bag. Here, form meets function, and what looks stylish and fashionable on the outside contains all our essential survival tools on the inside. Inspired by this, we ask expats each week, “What’s in your bag?” and get insights into which essentials they keep on hand when out and about in the capital city.
My name is Tania Romualdo, I’m 53 and have lived in Beijing for 6 years. I’m a career diplomat who joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cabo Verde 30 years ago and served alternately on 3 different posts as well as the HQ of the MFA and I’m currently Ambassador to China. I’m a happy mom of 3 and have 2 small dogs.
Our life in China has been an amazing journey and I will take best memories with me now that I’m reaching the end of my term here. Before the pandemic I used to travel to different provinces and places to learn more about the culture and history. In Beijing, my rare free weekends were spend wandering around, visiting the places like the Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Lama Temple and many parks, museums, exhibitions and so on. I particularly fell in love with the Hutongs and have a warm feeling of belonging every time I go there.
On a daily basis, my working days are normally quite long and intense and for those reasons I need to carry my stuff around with me.
I love bags and usually carry a different one every day making it easy to keep them well organized.
I love this one very much for its deep-sea color, soft leather and although it doesn’t look too big it has plenty of space.
I always have a note book with me for work and another one for more personal notes. I also never leave home without my wallet, business cards, reading glasses and sometimes my passport which I carry in a nice african fabric cover by Nany Creations.
I don’t carry my MacBook around all the time but, because I have to be ready for unexpected meetings, I always have my iPad with me. It’s smaller, lighter and very practical too because it has a cover with a keyboard. With it I also take a power bank, charger, cables and my IPods for music, on-line meetings and listening to books on Audible when I’m in the backseat of the car.
When I leave home early morning I never know at what time I will finish work so I need to be prepared. I always have a small make up bag with me. Its content: mini toothbrush and toothpaste, wet tissues, handcream, mints, hair tools for a quick fix updo, small chanel 5 perfume, eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara and lipstick.
And finally, because we are living in an epidemic situation, I always have a case with extra face masks and hand sanitizer with me.
Want to share your Beijing survival tools with us? Shoot us an email at editor@beijing-kids.com, message our Official Jingkids WeChat account (ID: beijing-kids), or leave a comment below!
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Images: Courtesy of Tania Romualdo
