Sophie Su Keeps Her Bag Classic and Calm

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 expat parents 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.

I’m Sophie Su! I was born in Beijing but I was raised in Australia, and now I have settled back home with my son and husband/business partner.

In 2015 we founded Pingo Space, a project-based learning company that helps kids discover their most authentic selves and build life skills through camps and weekend programs! As with most small education companies, Covid has offered up some interesting challenges, but my team and I have gotten creative … really, really creative, and we are so proud of the incredible work that came out of this period.

Running my own business requires me to balance the board room with the classroom, so I try to keep my style classically professional but functional. That’s why I love my Tory Burch tote! It carries everything I need but is sleek and durable.

My laptop goes with me everywhere! Inspiration comes in lots of different places so I’m constantly working on PPTs or jotting down notes for new projects.

Between parent meetings, teacher workshops, and office gossip (kidding … sort of) I do a lot of talking during the day. That, combined with Beijing’s dry air, makes cough drops a must for staving off a sore throat.
I’m a positive reinforcement junkie so I almost always have little classroom management rewards on hand. Right now, the kids are really excited about the dinosaur summer camp, so I picked up a few din-o-mite stickers.

Carrying a tape measure might seem strange for a teacher but I never know when I might be scouting a new project location, and this has come in handy more times than I can count.
Sunglasses, please! Especially during the camp season, I spend most of my day outdoors so these are vital. My favorite week of the year is when I get to manage beach survival camp, but the glare off the water is intense!

I love my crazy life but it can get a little chaotic and I am working on making more time for myself. So I keep two vials of essential oils on me that promote balance and harmony, and my favorite book Inward by Yung Pueblo. It’s about looking inward, and there are just small beautiful quotes that remind me to center myself. I’m slowly learning that giving myself a little love each day makes me a better wife, mother, and boss.