I guess it is effectively the case. You are probably "exotic", therefore intriguing, to them.

And by the way, if they're that interested into you, open your world to them. Share your interests. You might be surprised how people may change, and how their tastes and ideas may broaden at the contact of people radically different from them. If you don't scare the shit out of them, they might become like you, at least a little bit.

In fact, you might even want to try to tell them that you'd probably like them more if they were more like you. If they're that interested, they will try. You've got nothing to lose, except you'll be able to add "I'm a manipulator" to your list. Hehe.