Directional Knowledge

At conferences today a student asked me, "What's the state to the right of Washington?" I said, "Um, do you mean EAST of Washington?" (Blank stare, crickets chirping...) Hmm... So should I be more concerned that at 13 he is unaware of direction, or that he has lived in Washington his whole life and doesn't know what state is to the "right" of us. :-)