Eli and his accidental celebrity status as a rugby league player.

It all unfolded in a pizza store in Punta del Este, Uruguay , where Eli couldn’t help but notice two male workers who seemed to be fixated on him.

They were whispering to each other and making gestures that resembled the iconic New Zealand Haka. We assumed they were trying to guess Eli’s nationality, with one of them mimicking the Haka and pointing directly at Eli to indicate he must be a Kiwi.

As we were leaving the store, they both approached us and asked if Eli was an All Black.

Now, here’s where the miscommunication took a hilarious turn. Not fully grasping their question, I confidently replied, “Yes!”

Suddenly, the workers started slapping each other on the back, exclaiming in Spanish, “I told you!”

They were overjoyed, thinking they were in the presence of a world-class athlete.

Oops!

Of course, I had to gently let them down and reveal the truth. But in that moment, I couldn’t help but think, why not go along with it?

It would have been a harmless little game, and who knows, Eli might have scored some free pizza out of it!

Nevertheless, it was a funny and memorable experience that still brings a smile to our faces.

Ah, the joys of travel and the unexpected adventures it brings. Cheers to mistaken identities and the laughter that follows!

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