Our first proper day in Washington, D.C. started early – 6:30 am to be exact. We were immediately rewarded with the most American breakfast you can imagine: eggs, bacon, bagels, and the legendary peanut butter & jelly combo.

Fueled up, we took the Metro at 7:00 a.m., catching the city bathed in golden morning light. D.C. at that hour is oddly peaceful: no honking, no crowds, just sunlight bouncing off the marble. Our first stop was the Lincoln Memorial, and wow—it’s huge. Standing in front of Abraham Lincoln’s 6-meter-tall statue. It was a goosebumps moment. Many of us remembered the scene from „Night at the Museum“ where Lincoln gets up and starts talking.

Next, we walked to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. It looks simple at first: a black granite wall. But as you walk along, you realize it’s a timeline engraved with the names of over 58,000 fallen soldiers. A heavy, sobering moment. Small fact: the wall was designed by Maya Lin, a 21-year-old architecture student at the time. Imagine designing one of the most famous U.S. memorials before even finishing college.

Lightening the mood, we stumbled upon D.C.’s squirrls, which turned out to be shockingly fearless, which is unlike in Germany.

From there, we visited the Albert Einstein Memorial. Einstein sits casually in bronze, surrounded by a star map on the ground. Fun fact: if you stand in the center and speak, your voice echoes back.

After a Starbucks stop (and a thrilling round of “Will they spell our names correctly?“), we walked toward the White House. Honestly, it’s surreal to stand there knowing the U.S. president technically “lives around the corner.” Pro tip: if you want the best photo of the White House, walk toward the Washington Monument. The further you go, the prettier the view gets. From the Monument’s base, the view down the National Mall toward the Capitol is jaw-dropping.

By then, hunger hit hard, so we tried a “Rice Bar” recommended by our professor, Mr. Herzog. Great choice: customizable bowls and flavors for everyone.

After a quick 30-minute hotel break, we regrouped at the U.S. Capitol. Security is tight, like entering an airport, but worth it. A guide gave us a tour through several chambers. Cool fact: the Capitol has 540 rooms and 658 windows. (Imagine cleaning those windows—it’s basically a lifetime job.) Inside, we saw enormous statues, including icons like George Washington, Lincoln, and Martin Luther King Jr. The Rotunda dome is decorated with the American history all around. The view up to the dome is fabulous.

We even sat inside the Senate and House of Representatives chambers. Nothing was happening at the time, but just sitting there felt oddly powerful.

Evening rolled in, and while our professors headed to the harbor, we went shopping. Enter Macy’s and TJMaxx—massive, overwhelming, and strangely addictive. One thing we noticed though: D.C. isn’t exactly designed for casual grocery shopping. We found only one overpriced store. Fruit for $7–10? Can you imagine?

By 10 p.m., we collapsed into bed: exhausted, happy, feet aching, and heads full of statues, squirrels, and all the amazing moments of the day.

Summary: Perfect weather, unforgettable sights, lots of laughs. 10/10 day.