Yang says it was an emotional challenge, especially for his mother and elder sister, who'd never stayed overseas for such a long time. They also felt homesick occasionally and especially missed their hometown's spicy food.

"We and our family in China were worried about one another's safety. We felt unsettled. It was an emotional roller coaster, since we didn't know if we could fly back to China."

He says the Chinese embassy in Seychelles rendered timely assistance. The staff members gave them ingredients for Chinese cuisine and enough masks, and contacted them several times a week for updates on their situation.

"They collected information about all the possible flights and offered protective clothes and chocolate for our return flight," he says.

In February, Yang was worried about his mother's health and the risk of infection during such a long return flight. So, he got the tickets endorsed for the following month.