When Surabhi Yasmin first dreamed of travelling, she had neither a regular income nor the support needed to pursue it. But she had one thing that was a passion for painting, a determination to explore and a firm belief that dreams could be achieved despite limitations.
She began selling her own paintings to finance her travels.
Nearly a decade later, that modest beginning has taken her to around 45 districts of Bangladesh and six foreign countries. She has also emerged as a travel content creator, collaborating with around 70 brands.
“I started travelling with the money I earned by selling my paintings. I never considered travelling a luxury. It was a dream for me,” Surabhi told BSS in a recent interview.
A dream born from social media:
Surabhi’s journey began in 2016 when she was a university student. She used to browse social media and watch photographs and videos posted by friends travelling to different destinations.
The images sparked a desire to see those places herself.
But, there was one major problem: she had no personal income.
“I didn’t have any income of my own at that time. But, I decided that somehow I have to travel,” she recalled.
With a childhood passion for painting, she began selling her artwork and saving the money. She also took up small jobs and volunteered, putting her earnings into her travel fund.
Her initial trips were inexpensive, generally costing between Tk 2,000 and Tk 4,000. She travelled once or twice a month, proving to herself that exploring new places did not necessarily require a large budget.
“Many people think travelling requires a lot of money. But, I started on a very low budget,” she said.
Fighting perceptions, not just financial limits:
Money, however, was not her biggest obstacle.
As a woman travelling alone, Surabhi had to deal with social criticism and restrictions from her family.
“My family was very restrictive. They did not want me to go outside alone. Many people would ask me, ‘Why do you travel alone as a woman?’ I had to hear such comments,” she said.
Instead of allowing criticism to stop her, she chose to believe in herself. “I believed in myself,” she said.
From 2016 to 2019, she continued travelling and gaining experience. A student of Media Studies and Journalism, she was naturally interested to photography and visual storytelling.
Initially, she travelled simply for herself. Later, she began documenting her journeys and sharing them online.
“I used to travel and take photographs. Later, I thought, why not share these experiences? That is how I started creating content,” she said.
When passion became a profession:
Travel gradually became the focus of her content. She wanted not only to show places but also to encourage others to travel within their means.
After graduation, Surabhi entered the corporate sector and worked for nearly four years. Although the job offered financial security, she continued to question whether she wanted to spend her life in a conventional career.
“I always wondered — would I do this job for the rest of my life, or would I follow my passion?” she said.
She eventually resigned, but not without careful preparation.
“I did not quit my job suddenly. I made the decision after calculating everything and planning properly,” she said.
The six months after leaving her job were particularly difficult because she had no regular income. Yet she continued travelling and creating content.
“I had no income, but I did not stop. Even during the difficult period, I did not stop travelling,” she said.
Investing in herself:
As her work developed, she realised that professional equipment was essential. Using her savings, she bought a camera, drone, microphone and other equipment, eventually investing around Tk 6 lakh to Tk 7 lakh.
“Many people think these are luxuries. But for me, they were investments,” she said.
Building commercial partnerships was another challenge. In the beginning, brands did not approach her. She approached them, prepared presentations and explained what she could offer.
Many turned her down.
“The process was not easy. I was rejected by many places. But, I did not give up. I knew that one day it would happen. And now it has,” she said.
Today, she works with around 70 brands.
One woman, many roles:
Surabhi handles almost every stage of her content production herself — from scripting and shooting to editing.
“I do the scripting, shooting and editing of my content. Sometimes I take someone else’s help when it is absolutely necessary, but that is very rare. Most of the time, I work alone,” she said.
Her travels have also changed her perception of Bangladesh and its people.
“Bangladeshi people are extremely hospitable. Wherever I have gone, people have helped me,” she said.
She believes that attitude plays an important role in shaping a travel experience.
“If you go somewhere with positive energy, you will have a positive experience,” she said.
Her message to dreamers:
Surabhi advises aspiring travel content creators not to expect overnight success. Patience, financial planning, consistency and multiple skills are necessary to build a sustainable career.
Her own journey, from selling paintings to working with dozens of brands, has taught her one lesson above all.
“There is no alternative to believing in yourself. If you have passion, believe in yourself and have a clear goal, you will eventually reach your destination despite all the obstacles, limitations and criticism,” she said.
For Surabhi, the journey is still continuing.
