In the evening, I took my hotel owner’s recommendation and checked out a folk bar. These bars have more of a local flavor to them and are known for their live music. The bar I went to was among the most popular in the area. It was lively and very packed.

When word got around that I was a foreigner (there are very few foreigners here), one of the workers came by to speak with me. He then invited me to join him and his friends at their table. Not one to pass on an opportunity to hang out with locals, I agreed!

They were an animated bunch. However, I couldn’t tell if the two guys seated next to me were hitting on me or just very friendly. There was a lot of touching, especially hands on my knees. I didn’t feel uncomfortable, per se, but I didn’t want to give off the wrong vibes. When I saw an opportunity to make a graceful exit, I thanked them for inviting me to join them. I then bought them more drinks and closed out my tab. It’s important to me to be gracious when people are being kind, even if there may be some misunderstandings.