(CNN) — In January 2019, Simisola Oke traveled with a friend to Flachau, one of Austria’s busiest ski areas. Following their arrival, they were greeted with many hellos and waves from fellow skiers. Initially, “we just assumed people were being kind and friendly, or maybe they thought we were famous,” Oke recalls.

This all changed during apres-ski amid the warm fires and hearty meals. Skiers began opening up with probing comments such as, “It’s different for people like you to be here.”

Oke describes two young men asking her and her friend for their photograph. When the girls questioned why, the men replied, “You guys are just so beautiful.” Not convinced by their flattery, she notes that “there were plenty of beautiful girls. We all knew the reason behind their request.”