Washington, DC: Global Gateway Summer 2025 (A Day in the Life 1)
Henry G: Daily Life in DC
My daily schedule is made up of 4 major components that occur in varying times of day: class, activities, eating, and resting. I start by getting breakfast at our hotel and getting ready for class. After class, the cohort and I will look for lunch and rush to something like a museum for our first activity of the day. Based on our nightly arrangements, I might head back home to rest, prepare for the next day’s class, or enjoy what DC has to offer.
Alongside my fellow cohort members, we have engaged in DC culture through public transportation, local food, and various activities. Taking the metro has been particularly entertaining as we butt heads over directions and still find a way to get lost. Additionally, locals immediately recognize our difficulties, which often create lighthearted interactions. As we stroll around different districts and neighborhoods, we familiarize ourselves with the purpose and values of each area. For example, certain areas emphasize our country’s rich history through museums, while others foster tourism through shops and attractions. Still, engaging in our classes’ political discussions is my favorite method of connecting with local culture in the heart of our nation’s politics.
Rosa J: Places: Favorite
Washington D.C. is such a culturally and historically abundant city with towns that make you think, “How is this real?” When I went to Georgetown on one of my days off, that is the exact question I was asking myself. Many people think of Georgetown as the university campus for the prestigious institution, however, it is so much more than that. After taking a short metro ride to this gorgeous town, I found myself in awe of how beautiful the streets were and how calm the environment was. My initial thought upon arriving at the downtown area was how cute it was as they had coffee shops, flower shops, boutiques, and a variety of restaurants lining the streets. In a way it reminded me a bit of home since it felt a little more tight-knit and slow paced than the bustling city of DC. One thing that did surprise me a little bit about this area was that a large amount of the shops and establishments are closed on Mondays. Considering that I had gone on a Monday, I didn’t get to fully immerse myself in everything Georgetown had to offer, but I was able to feel the general sentiments of the town and what it offered. To end my excursion to Georgetown, my friends and I went to the waterfront to sit in the grass and take in the scenery; this was truly a highlight of my experience as it allowed me to integrate myself with the locals and brought me a sense of peace. Overall, I learned to really love all of DC, but my time in Georgetown will be something that I will hold as a fond memory for the rest of my life.
Ebenezer T: Places: Routine
One place that is a part of my daily routine is the United States Capitol building. My cohort and I walk past the capitol building every day on our way to class, and it stands right across the street from our classroom building. While away on a program, I have mostly spent the majority of my time looking for places and experiences that I am not used to in Madison. Although new experiences have been my priority, seeing the U.S. Capitol building every day has become especially important because it allows me to embrace familiarity in times of confusion. The city of Washington D.C. is laid out in a way that centers around the capitol building. As my cohort and I walk to class or make our way to explore the rest of the city, our journey usually involves passing the Capitol building to get to our destination. I say this because it makes me think of the capitol building in Madison which is found right in the middle of State Street and can be seen from the top of Bascom Hill. While at UW – Madison I see Madison’s capitol building everyday as I make my way around the city or while running from class to class. Passing the U.S. capitol while on our program makes me feel a sense of comfort because I can somewhat emulate what day to day life in Madison feels like in a city that I am not quite familiar with yet. As I pass the Capitol building every day I never forget to stop and snap a picture because it reminds me even in a place so new (Washington D.C.) the comfort of home can be found.
Chaz W: Food in DC
My prompt for the 2025 Global Gateway DC program focused on the food within the city. I chose this one because I’ve always thought that eating local food and food in the area is the best way to get a feel for the culture and environment that you are surrounded by. With that being said, it was a little difficult to find purely local food because Washington, D.C. has many outside restaurant chains, and D.C. is a very expensive city. However, so far I’ve gotten to try many new delicious things, and here are some of my favorites!
The first place that I ate at when we arrived in Washington, D.C. was Mission – Navy Yard. Mission is a Mexican restaurant that serves a whole array of Mexican food that all looked very appetizing to me. I ended up choosing the Birria Grilled Cheese that I loved. I thought that the flavor and seasoning of the beef was delicious. On the other hand, I thought that the amount of consomé was a little underwhelming. Although it was expensive, I would highly recommend going to this restaurant for anyone who is in a future Global Gateway cohort, or for those who visit D.C. on their own time.
One other place that I went to was Charleys Cheesesteaks. The food here is pretty self-explanatory, and I ended up getting a regular Philly cheese steak, which I found to be really good and for an okay price. I believe that I got it for around 16 dollars for the whole meal. I think the main food influence on Washington is how diverse the food scene is. For example, there are a variety of food trucks that line the area of the Smithsonian museums where you can get nearly anything to eat. Along with this, there are numerous restaurants within walking distance of where we were staying that allowed me to try many different meals that I’ve never had before. Overall, by the time the program ends, I should have more than enough food recommendations for anyone traveling to or visiting Washington, D.C.!