The girlfriend of Chelsea’s new £18 million signing has revealed an unexpectedly frightening experience during her first days in London, after an encounter with a squirrel left her so nervous that she changed her entire walking route.

Spanish influencer Pawgli, who has been in a relationship with footballer Pep Chavarria since November, recently moved to London to support her partner following his move to Chelsea. However, the transition has proved more difficult than she initially expected, with the content creator previously admitting that she had serious reservations about leaving Madrid and the life she had built there.

Pawgli, 27, has more than 1.1 million followers on TikTok, where she regularly posts fashion, beauty and lifestyle content for a predominantly Spanish-speaking audience. Her move to England therefore represents a major personal and professional change, and she has been open with her followers about the uncertainty surrounding the decision.

One of her earliest London adventures turned into an experience she certainly did not expect. While walking to a nail salon, Pawgli encountered a squirrel standing in the middle of a woodland path. Rather than simply walking around the animal, she became increasingly concerned about whether it might attack her.

The situation became even more alarming for her after she consulted ChatGPT about squirrels. She reportedly asked whether squirrels could attack people and, after receiving an affirmative response, decided it was safer not to approach the animal.

What should have been a relatively straightforward 50-minute walk eventually took around an hour and a half.

Pawgli explained the bizarre story in a TikTok video, telling her followers that she had originally planned to walk to a nail appointment because she wanted to explore her new surroundings. She was still staying in a hotel because Chavarria had not yet received access to their new home, with the handover expected later in the month.

According to Pawgli, Google Maps estimated that the journey would take approximately 50 minutes on foot. Rather than relying entirely on public transport, she decided that walking would give her the opportunity to become familiar with the neighbourhood and discover more of London.

The beginning of the journey seemed pleasant enough. However, the route soon took her through increasingly remote areas filled with trees and lakes. Although she admitted that the scenery was beautiful, the surroundings also made her feel as though she had wandered into a fairy tale.

She described the experience as resembling a scene from a forest adventure movie, with woodland stretching around her and various animals appearing along the route. The peaceful environment eventually became unsettling when she found herself approaching a squirrel blocking the path.

At that stage, she still had around 20 minutes of walking left before reaching the nail salon. She was also close to leaving the wooded area and could already see signs that she was approaching a more developed part of the city.

Then she noticed the squirrel.

According to Pawgli, the animal was standing directly in the middle of the path and did not appear interested in moving. She felt that it was staring directly at her, which made the situation even more intimidating.

Instead of attempting to pass it, she decided to ask ChatGPT for advice. Her question was simple: could squirrels attack people?

The answer convinced her that approaching the animal was not worth the risk. Pawgli subsequently moved away from the squirrel and decided to wait until it had disappeared.

She reportedly remained there for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, hoping the animal would eventually move away from the path. Unfortunately for her, the squirrel showed no intention of leaving.

With the clock ticking and her confidence disappearing, Pawgli eventually decided that the safest option was to turn around. She retraced her route and searched for an alternative path that would allow her to reach her destination without having to confront the squirrel.

She found another route, but it was also surrounded by woodland. More importantly, the change caused her navigation app to recalculate the journey, transforming what should have been a 50-minute walk into a journey lasting roughly 90 minutes.

For many people, the encounter would probably have been nothing more than a funny story. For Pawgli, however, it became another reminder of how unfamiliar her new environment feels.

The squirrel incident comes at a particularly significant moment in her life. Moving from Madrid to London was not an easy decision, and she had previously spoken emotionally about the sacrifices involved in relocating for her relationship.

Pawgli has explained that her career is closely connected to Madrid and Spain. She has spent years building a large Spanish-speaking audience, and much of her professional network and the opportunities available to her are based in the Spanish capital.

As a result, moving to London could affect her career considerably. Unlike her footballer boyfriend, whose profession naturally takes him to different countries and cities, Pawgli’s work depends heavily on maintaining her existing audience and continuing to create content in an environment where she has established professional connections.

She has also stressed that she is financially independent. In previous videos, she explained that she has her own career and income and does not depend on her boyfriend to support her. This makes the decision to move particularly complicated because she is not simply relocating her personal life; she is potentially giving up professional opportunities that she has spent years developing.

Another challenge is the language barrier. Pawgli has acknowledged that she does not currently speak English fluently and knows that she will need to learn the language after moving to the United Kingdom.

Although she accepts that learning English is important, she has also made it clear that she does not want to abandon her Spanish-speaking audience. Her goal is to continue producing content primarily for the people who have followed her career from Spain rather than completely changing direction and attempting to build an English-speaking audience.

The emotional side of the move has also been significant. Pawgli describes herself as extremely close to her family and highly sensitive, making the idea of starting again in an unfamiliar country particularly challenging.

She has previously become emotional while discussing the possibility of leaving Madrid. In one video, she reportedly broke down in tears while explaining that London would mean leaving behind family, friends, professional opportunities and the familiar environment she knows so well.

Her relationship with Chavarria has therefore presented her with a difficult choice. She can remain in Madrid and continue developing her career while maintaining a long-distance relationship, or she can move to London and build a new life alongside her footballer boyfriend.

The decision to relocate suggests that she has chosen to give the relationship a chance in England, at least for now. However, her comments indicate that she remains conscious of the sacrifices involved.

The couple have been together since November, and Chavarria’s move to Chelsea has created a new chapter in their relationship. For a professional footballer, moving clubs and cities is part of the nature of the sport. For a partner with an established career elsewhere, however, the consequences can be much more complicated.

Pawgli’s encounter with the squirrel may have been relatively minor, but it perfectly captures some of the uncertainty she is experiencing. Even a simple trip to a nail salon became an unfamiliar adventure involving woodland paths, unexpected animals, navigation problems and anxiety.

At the same time, the story has provided her followers with a humorous glimpse into her adjustment to British life. What initially frightened her has now become an entertaining anecdote that highlights just how different her new surroundings are from Madrid.

For now, Pawgli appears determined to navigate the challenges that come with starting a new life in London. She will have to adapt to a different culture, learn English, maintain her Spanish-speaking audience and find ways to continue growing professionally while supporting Chavarria’s football career.

Whether London eventually becomes a permanent home for her remains uncertain. She may ultimately decide that being closer to her family and protecting her career in Madrid is more important, or she may gradually become comfortable with life in England.

For the moment, though, her first experiences suggest that the transition will not always be straightforward. And after one particularly stubborn squirrel managed to turn a short walk into a 90-minute ordeal, Pawgli has already learned that life in London can deliver some very unexpected challenges.