NO GRACIAS! explain to me

I think you are correct, NoName. Unfortunately, the time share salesmen are the "friendliest". I admit I am not as polite to them and, Avi, since you come without some trinket to sell, you may be taken for a time share salesman.

Avi, if I were you and wanted to meet visitors to learn about us and our language, I would look for the following things: a friendly face, you can tell who is (how do you say in Spanish) cranky. Avoid cranky-looking people. I do. I would avoid people who are eating or reading. They may not want company. A woman alone might not want to be too friendly to a man she doesn't know.

When you see someone you think could be friendly, say to them right away something like "I live here. I like to practice my English and I wonder if you have any questions about Barra that I can try to answer". Or say that you want to know something about where the visitor comes from. And be honest. Don't try to sell them tour services. Come as a friend or come as a businessman but be very clear about which Avi you are when you talk to them.

And if you don't get a friendly response, just keep trying. There are people from Norte who do want to know more and would bevery happy to have the chance to meet you. And I am sorry that people can be rude. Especially to someone like you.