I’m not sure why, but recently I’ve been asked for directions a lot whenever I am walking around campus. I’m not sure if this is because I look like I know where I’m going, or that the people who are asking me are so flustered that they don’t care that they are asking a foreigner (who is less likely to be familiar with campus). I mean, I never know where I’m going even when I’m in my home city… so the fact that I get asked for directions on an alarmingly regular basis at school here is a little scary.
Once or twice I’ve actually understand the entire question and known how to direct the lost person, but most of the time, I’ve basically been perfecting how to say, “对不起，我不知道去那个地方怎么走.” (“I’m sorry, I don’t know how to get to that place.”)
Funnily enough, I tend to get asked directions only when I’m in places I don’t know. It’s very bizarre. It’s like my confusion/don’t-know-where-I-am face is interpreted by others as “I know this city inside and out”.