When I first arrived in Akko on Sunday, March 9, to begin my Israel Experience portion of Year Course, I only had a vague idea of what I was getting myself into. I knew I was doing Dakar, the navy program. I knew I was staying at a boarding school for kids who wanted to be navy cadets, or at least learn about the navy. I knew it involved sailing and the water. I knew there were rules. But that was pretty much it! At our Israel Experience presentation in the beginning of February, I learned a few more tidbits of information. We would be doing a lot of physical activity, like running and sit ups. We would also be working with some of the students to tutor them in English.

Even though the gaps of the general idea were being filled in, the specifics, like daily life, were still missing. At our orientation on March 8, I was excited to finally learn what we were doing. I sat before my merakez (coordinator) with the other 26 participants and listened to him explain the bus schedule and various other rules. These things were very important, but I just wanted to scream, “What are we actually doing every day?!”

I didn’t get my answer until Monday. Bright and early, at 6:30 in the morning, we were awakened. We put on the uniforms we received the day before and scurried to breakfast. After breakfast, we had our first experience on the water. The 26 of us were split into three groups to learn how to row a boat. Before long, we were actually on the water, each with an oar, rowing under the direction of our instructor. We learned a few different rowing patterns and how to switch our positions on the boat. It was so much fun! Everyone was working together to achieve a common goal: the mobility of the rowboat.

The next day, we were on the water quickly, this time in kayaks with a partner. Let this be clear: I’m an awful kayaker. I’m usually the one at the front, sitting still while my partner paddles because my legs hurt, my arms hurt or I just don’t understand how one actually paddles on a kayak. But for some reason, this time I could kayak well, you could say. I continued even if it hurt, motivated by all the other kayakers around me, following the speedboat that was leading us. After we finished, I was so proud of myself for how I steadily kayaked for almost two hours.

The experience isn’t over yet, but on the last day so far, we took a tour of Akko and a group hike. We mostly walked briskly, with a little jogging in between, for about two hours. It was intensely focused on the benefit of the group. The faster people could not overtake the slower people, so everyone moved at the same pace. There was supposed to be no talking, although we cheated a little. I felt really connected to the people around me, and in that moment I knew what Dakar was all about. It was about the community, the group of 25 others I was with and how we would complete our daily activities together.

Although we now get a weekly schedule, it is known that it’s subject to change at any moment. But now, it’s not so important for me to know what we’re doing at every single moment of every day. I’m just excited to face each new challenge—and challenges there will be—with the support of those around me.

Genna Morton, 17 years old, is from Roslyn Heights, N.Y., and is attending Washington University in St. Louis next year. She loves downloading even more music to her iPod and kicking back with a good book.