Welcome to the first installment of YOLO, an ongoing series written by Jess Smith and guest contributors. Here, we’ll emphasize living life to the fullest through new experiences and not dwelling on the silly moments!
Jess Smith, 136 YinD
You only live once.
It’s giving circa 2013, I know, but if you really think about it and give the phrase a chance, it is something special. I tell myself a variation of this phrase every day – and no, I am not embarrassed by it. You have to when you have a bad day, when you have a good day, when you say something completely wrong in Thai, or completely right. These moments that we are experiencing only happen to us once in a lifetime, so if you are feeling embarrassed because you have no idea what anyone is saying, tell yourself you will only live through this moment once (though you will certainly live through similar ones, this one will be over soon). And when you find yourself full of pure and utter bliss, pause, look around, and tell yourself you will only live this life once. Take a second, enjoy the moment, and enjoy this little life!
Take each day and do something scary. Introduce yourself even when you’re feeling anxious, or offer help even when you don’t have the words. You’ll be glad you did, and you’ll have new connections. Life is only scary if you let it be scary. This is your life, you decide. After all, you only get one.
I can certainly say joining the Peace Corps did not come without hints of fear. The moment I clicked submit on my application – the plane ride from San Francisco to Taiwan to Bangkok, the first day of language class, ordering lunch in Thai for the first time, moving to site – all of it was scary! But it was also exhilarating and filled with curiosity and excitement. I think all the best things in life are a little scary.
So with that said, for prospective volunteers who are teetering on the edge of clicking that submit button, what do you have to lose? If this is something you feel so strongly about, remind yourself to get comfortable being uncomfortable, take the leap, and get excited. And for current volunteers, keep taking it day by day. How often in our lives will we be able to eat pad grapao at a local food stand in Thailand, or help our host families make dinner, or inspire youth in a different country than our own?
With this series, I hope to shine some light on the struggles of being a person in a new place with a new language. But, I also hope to share the immense joys that come with being a person in a new place with a new language!
You only live once… do something scary.
Sticky Rice 
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