Shawntelle touched down for a new life in Australia – but she could never have guessed what lay in store for her: ‘What did I just sign up for?’

An American woman on a working holiday visa says her dream move to Australia took a very bizarre twist within days of arriving – and forced her to flee her new roomates.

Marketing professional Shawntelle, 30, jetted into Brisbane Airport on August 16 for what she hoped would be the trip of a lifetime filled with fun and new friendships.

Instead, she found herself trapped in a living situation so strange she still struggles to believe it happened.

Within hours of arriving, she discovered her new housemates were about to give birth, and expected her to help with both the childbirth and the newborn’s childcare. 

But she also found out they were estranged from the father’s five other kids, he had faced court on DV charges, and wanted her to lie about being their social worker.

‘It definitely made me wonder if it was a sign if I shouldn’t be here,’ she told Daily Mail. 

‘It felt absolutely insane, and within the first two days, I was like WTF did I just sign up for?’

The ordeal began when her new flatmate picked her up from the airport, but within moments, Shawntelle realised something was off as they drove to her new home.

‘On the car ride to the apartment, he tells me his wife is expecting a baby in the next five days so I’m going to be living with them and a newborn baby,’ she explained.

‘I immediately wouldn’t have booked it if I knew that. I’m not at a place in my life where I want to be around one in my home environment when I want to relax, especially with people who are essentially strangers

‘And then he begins to tell me that this is going to be his sixth child, five other ones don’t live with him. 

‘One lives with its mum and the other four he’s currently going through a custody battle with and the woman doesn’t want to give him any visitation rights.’

But Shawntelle says she became even more alarmed when he told her the feud with his ex was not the only matter he had before the courts.

‘Later that day he proceeds to tell me that he hasn’t been able to leave Australia for the last two years because his passport was taken away because an Australian woman accused him of assaulting her,’ she said. 

‘He said it was because he didn’t want to get with her, she got mad scratched herself up and called the cops.

‘Alarm bells are going off in my head, I’m immediately just like, what the heck is going on?’

By day two, the situation escalated further, after the flatmate asked if she would act as a ‘social worker’ during his custody hearing to give him an ‘American perspective’. 

He and also suggested she could help his wife during childbirth and care for the baby if he was too busy.

‘I don’t have a background in childcare, I don’t have a background in law, I don’t understand why he would ask that,’ she said.

‘And then he asks if for whatever reason he is not available to help his wife while she’s giving birth or she needs help with the baby if I could do that.

‘Immediately I said no, I was like, none of this interests me – if you need me to move out and you need an au pair, that’s fine,

‘He was like, “No, no I don’t need that”, but at this point I’m just like, I need to get out.

‘I don’t feel safe. This is actually insane that someone would tell me these things and then expect this of me.’

Terrified Shawntelle immediately checked into a temporary Airbnb to escape the houseshare, before eventually finding a permanent place to stay.

She has since shared her ordeal onTiktok, claiming the bizarre experience still isn’t over and had left her feeling shaken.

‘I haven’t got my bond back and he has blocked me on WhatsApp too,’ she said. 

‘I called the Residential Tenancies Authority and found out my bond was never lodged with them. It has definitely made me wonder if it was a sign I shouldn’t be here. 

‘It was so bizarre and it was such a big change to move as is that I was second guessing everything with what was going on,’ she added.

But despite the nightmare start, she says she has since met many other kind people through Facebook groups, and has already formed new friendships.

‘I knew I couldn’t base that situation on Australia as a whole and I’ve already met some amazing people and definitely want to start exploring more,’ she said.

‘I’ve loved the weather and I love getting to hear the phrases people use here and trying out new foods that have an Aussie twist to them.’