Where are we?

I was out last night at the home of some friends. Our church has just begun the 40 Days of Community programme and so it was the first night of our small group meetings.

A couple of other guys from church were making their way there too but got quite lost in the process. They had to ring and ask for directions which is supposedly something that men don’t do very often or very well.

The exception to that rule, it would seem, would be in India. Last night’s experience reminded me of the first time I visited the Taj Mahal in 2003. The guys who were driving us there stopped to ask some passers by for directions. A crowd gathered and everyone added their 2 cents worth, or should I say their two rupees worth. It was all in Hindi so I didn’t understand anything apart from Taj Mahal. It was fascinating to see how many people decided that they should wander over and give our Indian friends the benefit of their knowledge of the roads of Agra.

After getting directions we were all set. We drove off. With all that information I was sure we’d get there without further problems.

500 metres up the road we stopped again and repeated the process. More road experts surrounded the van and pointed in a variety of directions before we headed off again. After another three or four stops to ask directions, we arrived.

So there you have it. It’s not a ‘man thing’ after all. The reticence to ask for directions apparently has a lot more to do with culture than gender.

Posted by Rodney Olsen

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About the author

Rodney Olsen

Rodney is a husband, father, cyclist, blogger and podcaster from Perth Western Australia.

He has worked in radio at Perth's media ministry Sonshine for over 25 years and has previously worked at ministries such as Compassion Australia and Bible Society.

The views he expresses here are his own.

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5 Comments

  • The standard ‘manly’ way of doing things sees us struggling by ourselves, not wanting to ask for help because it appears ‘weak’. I think that asking for directions is a very humbling experience and lets us realise that we need others, and God, to be involved and active in our journey…

    … and great photo of the Taj – had me comparing it mine 😉

  • Hey Connell, did you have the same gardener trying to hustle you for money? 🙂

    One of the Taj gardeners wanted to show me where to get the best pictures. After showing me that particular angle he asked for money.

    I suppose you’ve got to try whatever you can but I wasn’t about to pay someone for simply telling me which way to point my own camera.

  • No problems with gardners Rodney! We escaped pretty well from photographers, programme sellers, etc. trying to peddle their wares. I suppose I got used to realising that nothing was free… a bit sad really

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