Not sure if it is possible for you, but find a landmark or something that can be seen from just about anywhere in the city. Here in Vegas I use the Stratasphere, the Luxor’s light beam, and Black Mountain. I can see 2 of these are anytime in the Valley. I also know in relation to those where places I want to go are. Example is that my house is at the base of Black Mountain. Work is Between Black Mountain and the Stratashere. Make sure the land marks can be seen during night too. The Stratashpere can not, but the Luxor’s light is close it it. Black Mt. has warning lights for aircraft on top so easy to find. All she has to do is know where stuff is in relation to those. Even if she is completley lost if she can see the landmarks she can point in the correct direction to get where she is going.
If it’s any consolation, she’s not alone. IMO it’s even worse for a guy because we’re supposed to be in control and be able to find our way around - it’s embarassing asking a date for directions!
Landmarks are really, really helpful. My sense of direction is OK, but I’ve realized it had two important limitations. a) It works best on a grid. Most American cities are built on grids, so that makes my life easier. b) It works best in light - I make a lot of judgments based on the direction and angle of the sun. When I didn’t have either, I was screwed (picture a Japanese city at night, or London at any time of day). The only thing that saved me was landmarks.
Indeed, in Japan most restaurants and clubs would give directions based on landmarks - even printing them out on their matchbooks (“50m from Irinaka subway exit, across from Mild 7 tobacconists”). Even with that you’d see enormous lines outside police boxes, all of people looking for directions. (God help you if the tobacconist’s changed their awning sponsor from Mild 7 to Cabin.)
It’s a learned skill.
Have her take flying lessons. She’ll get a bird’s eye view of the world and have to learn to read a whole new set of maps (not just sectional air charts but airport diagrams). If she’s really capable of learning to navigate, she’ll soon develop an acute sense of where N-S-E-W are at all times.
I second that. My sense of direction was non-existant until I learned to fly.