Drops in the Ocean: Stories and Reflections from the Okra Collective

A series of intimate talks that explore the inner lives of fellow Okra collective members. Like the single drops that form the ocean, each woman holds worlds within herself that take on new meaning when shared. Connect and unwind with us as we immerse ourselves in the quiet beauty and wonder of their life stories.

Noemie has been an inspiration to me. I fell in love with her world on Instagram a long time ago. I would describe her photography as a soothing balm for my soul. She captures her island life and reminds me that happiness doesn't require much. She is a reminder to savor those little moments that often go unnoticed. She has this incredible ability to create beauty and meaning in any setting, spreading light wherever she goes. And let's not forget her adorable dogs; they always bring a smile to my face when she shares them on her Instagram page.

In addition to her idyllic island life, Noemie's connection with her grandmother was truly special. Just a glimpse at her Instagram fills me with a sense of serenity. This is why I want you to discover her too and bring you to the island of Mauritius for a few minutes.

I hope that you too, find calm and peace as you discover Noemie’s world.

Name: Noémie De Ravel

From: Mauritius

Zodiac sign: Aquarius

Occupation: Photographer & Illustrator (but also mom to two dogs and a lot of plants)

Instagram: @noemie_de_ravel (personal account) + @nderavel.photo (professional account) + @artbynoemie (illustration) and finally @littlejungle.mu (plant diary) (I like to keep each account separately as mixing everything gives me a headache lol)

What is your passion?

Where to even start…? Photography? Dogs? Plants? My first “coup de foudre” has always been the nostalgia of Photography. My grandmother Annie, whom I call Nanie, always had been keeping all her photographs in old albums. Every time we went to her place, we always asked her to show us her pictures even though we saw them so many times already. From the tiny black and white film pictures, to the 10x15 cm digital pictures. She had them all, every shape, color and size! And what amazed me every single time, was how good that nostalgia felt when you jump back in time and remember the memories. That’s why Photography is magic to me. It captures time forever.

My Nanie did not only transmit me that Photographic nostalgia, she also transmitted me her passion for plants. Since we were kids, when the afternoon settled in, she always said, “let’s take a walk in the garden so I’ll show you my precious plants”. Sadly, Nanie passed away in July 2022. I will forever miss her…

She talked and talked about how much she loved her plants, how when she talked to them they always give her back so many beautiful flowers and a great satisfaction. Nanie always said that plants were her therapy: when no one else could, her plants were always there to comfort her.

Not only I but also my sisters, brother and cousins, grew up with Nanie always telling us “you should always dedicate a little space in your house for your plants. In that way, it will be your safe place when you are sad.”

As I grew up, I realised more and more that she was so right. At 26 years old, I now have so many plants I stopped counting them. It’s the first thing I think about when I wake up: let’s go see how my plants are doing. And it instantly settles how my day starts, which is most of the time always good. Except when one of them dies… Oh well. That’s for another time. And in a way, it is a constant reminder that even though Nanie is not physically here, she remains in every single plant I own, most of which I got from her. I think that this is such a beautiful tribute to carry on taking care of her plants. I know that she must be so happy from up there seeing her family taking care of her treasures.

Taking care of my plants has definitely enabled me to create a safe space, where I feel so grounded and present. There is no place for negative feelings/vibes there.

Finally, let’s finish with my love for dogs. I grew up with 2 dogs, Jody and Zoé. I was 1 when Zoé came home, and 2 when Jody arrived. I spent 18 years of my life (more or less) with them. I have so many memories of my childhood with these two. They saw me grow up and I got the privilege to also see them grow up and eventually get old. Then came the time to say goodbye. My eyes are watering writing this. Jody was the first to go, I was 16. It was probably one of the hardest days of my life. After he crossed the rainbow bridge, I kept dreaming of him. I was missing him so much. In my last dream I had of him, I saw him in a different way. He was young and was running in the garden. He seemed so happy. That’s the last time I saw him in my dreams, and I like to think that it was his way of letting me know that he was ok, he was happy, and that I didn’t have to be sad and worry about him anymore. His death was the first time I ever felt grief. Then a couple of years after, we said goodbye to Zoé. I will always remember her as that sassy but so affectionate little dog, always standing for herself, until her last breath. Grieving my first ever dogs was probably one of the hardest things I had to go through.

Fast forward to 3 years after when I begged my dad to let us have another dog. He always categorically replied “No. No more dogs”. I was so desperate to have a dog that I spent most of my time at my neighbours, walking their dogs and spending time with them. I was never home except for dinner and sleeping. Every time when it was the night before my birthday, I used to write a letter to my dad begging him to let me have a dog. It never worked lol. Until I finally abandoned the idea and finished my last year of school. As usual, I was at my neighbours, when I got a call from my Dad: “Noémie, come back home right now”. I instantly thought, “What did I do again?” and reviewed all the situations where I may have done something stupid. I went to the kitchen, where my dad was waiting for me. He stared at me right into the eyes. With a serious look: “You can choose a dog now”. My happiness was hitting the sky! And that’s when Kalea stepped into my life.

I got her as a puppy, she was 4 months old. She is now 8 years old, and she is my rock. She is a diva, and she only likes a few people, but she likes me the most hehe. She is the source of my happiness. I love her unconditionally and I take so many pictures of her, that strangers recognise her and not even myself. I love her so much I just can’t put it into words. And we recently got another dog with my partner, whom we named Lula. She just recently turned 3 on the 8th of May and she and Kalea are partners in crime.

One thing you know for sure?

As a perfectionist and people pleaser, I easily get overwhelmed when things don’t go the way I want them to. I let myself fall into that scary black spiral, but always manage to get out of it, as one thing I know for sure is that “the only way out is through”. This is my daily mantra I keep repeating to myself so I can let things go, be present and trust what’s happening.

What are the ways you’ve been connecting with your creative force lately?

I am always inspired by colors, music and textures. I make sure every day to spend some time outdoors, in my garden or when walking my dogs. My partner and I often go to Tamarin Bay on early mornings with the dogs, or to the Black River Gorges, still with the dogs (we try to never leave them behind). I also inspire myself on social media, which I use mostly for that purpose.

What are your favorite self-care practices?

- Taking care of my plants. A form of therapy to me. During lockdown, I got in touch with lots of people so we could do plant swaps once lockdown is over. It feels good to share that passion with others and meet new faces through this passion.

- Alone time. A day only to myself, when I watch my favorite show (currently can’t stop Grace & Frankie on Netflix), which I can’t watch with my partner (we don’t always have the same taste in that area, which is ok)

- Eat my favorite meal

- Try new things (playing with clay, trying out crochet)

- Observe my plants and just sit at my safe place and get in touch with myself.

How do you find inspiration when times are hard?

I indeed have times when I don’t feel inspired and motivated for anything. It gets quite discouraging. But when these times come, one thing that helps me a lot is to talk about it with someone. It can be my sisters, my partner, my dad, a friend. Talking about it and getting it out of my system instantly makes things better and I always get that inspiration back after.

How do you connect with your intuition?

I call it a gut feeling. I feel when something is right or off, but I can’t explain how or why. I just know it, I just feel it. When something is wrong, I feel strong cramps in my stomach. When something feels good, it’s like my heart is so happy it could explode.

How do you deal with the stress and uncertainties of life?

As someone that is doing multiple things (freelancer in photography but also employed as Vet Assistant) it is not always easy to deal with stress and uncertainty. It is often hard as I compare myself to others (other photographers, or my colleagues at work). Having different point of views in different jobs, makes me realise that no matter what you do, working for yourself or working for someone, there will always be things that stress you out. As I said earlier, the only way out, is through.

Each day comes to an end, and we always have the chance to start again and be a better version of ourselves by learning from our mistakes. It is a continuous learning process. I am lucky to be surrounded by people that are always supportive and always encourage me in what I am doing.

What are you watching, reading, or listening at the moment?

Current reading: I finished “Mercure” by Amélie Nothomb and got so stucked and immersed into that world. My next read is “Le Mûr Invisible” by Marlen Haushofer. My sister is currently reading it and will pass it on to me when she is done.

Currently watching: The Crown on Netflix, also Grace and Frankie. My partner and I also watch “Studio Danielle” on Instagram and YouTube, she makes us laugh so much.

Currently listening: “New Song” by Maggie Rogers and “Whats’s Up” by 4 Non Blondes

What would be a piece of life advice to your younger self?

Do not try to please people. Do what you want and don’t pay attention to what others say. You come first before anyone else. The right people will always stay no matter what.

What’s a beauty tip worth sharing?

I love doing homemade face masks, with 1 tablespoon of powdered cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of honey. My skin is so soft and clean after. Also, lots of water!

Thank you Noemie! :)

With this article, my hope is to inspire you to find serenity and beauty in the simple pleasures of life, no matter where you are. May your inner knowing always guide you home to the serenity of your island within.

Love, Julie

Follow and get in touch with Noemie:

Her website: www.noemiederavel.com

Her personal account: @n.de.ravel

Her Photography: @nderavel.photo

Her Illustrations: @artbynoemie

Her plant diary: @littlejungle.mu