Hello Sylvain, and thank you for this interview. Your path as a globe-trotting photographer is fascinating. Can you tell us more about yourself, and how this passion became your job?
Sylvain: Hello, I’m glad to share my experience. I’m 47, married, and the father of a 16-year-old. Photography has been a passion of mine since I was very young. I’m fascinated by the ability to capture moments and emotions through a camera lens.
I started my career as a freelance photographer about ten years ago, after working in sales. I decided to follow my passion and throw myself into this adventure, investing fully in photography. My work now lets me travel six months a year to capture landscapes and unique moments, while discovering new cultures and meeting incredible people. I work mainly for international geographical magazines and for environmental organisations.
Over the years, I’ve managed to balance my professional life and my family life despite a complicated schedule. My wife and my son sometimes come with me during the school holidays, and we use those moments to share unforgettable experiences. I try to show them the beauty of the landscapes I discover.
That’s really inspiring, Sylvain. As a freelance photographer who travels constantly, you must face particular challenges managing your finances abroad?
Sylvain: Several problems came up regularly on my trips. First, currency exchange rates were often high when I had to pay in different currencies, whether for everyday expenses or for local activities.
Then, money transfers often took a very long time, which could be a problem when I wanted to send money to my family or cover an urgent expense. For example, my son needed to buy equipment for his music lessons, but his mother couldn’t be reached and I had no way to transfer the money to him.
I also ran into difficulties finding banking services suited to my life as a “globe-trotting” photographer. I couldn’t find my way in what traditional banks offered. Their products never fully matched my specific needs.
How did you find a solution to these challenges, and improve the way you manage your finances abroad?
Sylvain: One day I’d had enough of seeing exorbitant exchange-rate fees on my statements, and I decided to find a real solution suited to my way of life and my needs. I came across a forum for international workers. Several members were sharing their experiences and the solutions they had found for the same problems I was facing. That’s when I discovered PayTrip. I thought it might be the right solution for me.
“Conversion fees from any currency at a fixed rate! That clearly makes the difference for me. I’ve become a PayTrip regular”
Can you tell us more about how PayTrip met your needs for managing money abroad, and how that has affected your daily life?
Sylvain: Of course. What I liked straight away about PayTrip is how easily I can make payments and transfers. Through the app, I quickly got an account and bank details, which turned out to be very practical for me. I can follow my budget and my transactions in real time, which is essential when I’m travelling. And I received my PayTrip card a week later, just before leaving on a reportage.
On currency conversion fees, PayTrip really made a difference for me. With PayTrip’s highly competitive fixed exchange rate, I no longer have to worry about it, and I can focus on my work as soon as I arrive in a new country. Abroad, I use almost nothing but my PayTrip card to pay for my expenses.
What I also like is how fast the money transfers are. When I need to send money to my family in France, I know it will be direct and free of fees.
For me, PayTrip’s strength is its prepaid Mastercard® cards. They really changed things when I have to pay for something abroad. With my PayTrip card, I can pay anywhere without worrying about currency conversion fees or exchange rates. That lets me manage my budget more effectively and anticipate the cost of my trips more accurately.
Recently, I ordered a PayTrip card for my son, which reassures me, because I know I can send him money instantly when he needs it, free of charge, even if I’m on the other side of the world. He uses it regularly when he needs to make a personal purchase. I can see his card activity directly in the PayTrip app, and I get an alert as soon as his balance drops below €50. When that happens, I top up his card immediately so he isn’t left without money if something urgent comes up.
Thank you, Sylvain, for sharing your experience with us. We hope it inspires travel lovers and globe-trotters who want to simplify their finances with PayTrip!
By the way, what’s your next destination?
I’m leaving next week for Brazil, for a report on environmental protection around the Iguazu Falls. I’ve already been twice and I never get tired of it. It’s simply magnificent.