Comment by lukan

"I don't know if that makes me one with 'higher risk tolerance'"

Compared to an average human, I would say yes.

And yes, speaking the local language is not a must, I also got by in poor and potential dangerous places by communicating with hand and feat. Eye contact.

The way one treats the people matters. Do they perceive you as a arrogant, bored rich westener who has come to visit the poor people zoo? That might end bad. But showing genuine interest yields different results.