Navigated Navigator

I was on my way to Westfield this afternoon when two French people approached me and asked for directions. It was a lady and a man (who were friends with each other) who were about to view a flat somewhere in SW19. Well, I was quite confident to give them directions since I have my handy dandy mobile phone with all its navigation apps that we all knoware not perfect but leads you to the right path most of the time. They gave me the postcode which I immediately entered into my smartphone. As the GPS navigation was working its magic I chatted up these lost souls and found out that they just migrated here in the UK about 6 months ago. I told them that the area is posh and quiet though areas around the local primaries may be noisy at times due to the school children. Well, after one century I finally got directions. The place was just half a mile from where we stood (which was just ouside the hospital I work at. I am no good at French nor can they speak good English so I offered to take them myself since I have this magic GPS. But lo and behold, my phone started playing up--both 3G and GPS. Such a shame! I had to rely on Google maps which is not really that accurate based on my previous experiences to get them to that place just in time for viewing.

We made a mistake turning one block earlier but good thing another kind-hearted soul helped us with the directions. I was so apologetic to the couple because it would be actually very easy to find the place had my phone behaved well. We got to the place eventually. Had I known where Victoria drive was before, navigation would have been as easy as ABC. There is a nearby Catholic school there where we usually take our residents for the annual Christmas carol presentation of the pupils there and I do not know why I did not know where it was.

Why did I help these people in the first place without any hesitation? 

During our trip to Seoul last year, I remember being in a similar situation only that we were the lost ones. One very kind Korean helped us find the Trick Eye Museum which is a popular tourist destination but as to why it is located in a very obscure place with little directions still baffles me. Since I forgot to activate my mobile roaming, my phone was not really of good use unless there is a nearby WIFI hotspot (which well, Seoul has lots of). Going back, this Korean lady walked us to the museum and though her English and my Korean was anjoayo (not good) we managed to understand each other jugum manyo (a little). It feels terrible to be lost especially in a country where very little English is used both in the written and spoken form.

It was a sigh of relief when I was able to bring them to their destination. A pat on the shoulders for me today for one simple act of kindness. Hopefully, they too will pass on the same kindness to people who will need them in the future just like this advert about 'paying it forward'.