In February, the Koh family left the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the coronavirus was first detected more than 10 months ago, as Covid-19 infection numbers climbed dramatically.
They needed an evacuation flight arranged by Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to return here. But after spending about eight months in Singapore, Mr Joshua Koh and his wife and four sons returned to Wuhan last week.
Mr Koh, 47, who works in the human resources department of an international school in Wuhan, said: "We missed the life we had in Wuhan, and it has become our second home and our home for this season of our lives."
His sons - aged four to 17 - attend the international school he works at and his wife - Mrs Koh Kay Lim, 45 - is an admissions manager there.
Before touching down in Wuhan on Oct 4, the family spent 14 days quarantined in a hotel in Guangzhou and were released only after taking a swab test towards the end of their stint where they all tested negative for the virus.
They left for Wuhan that same night and for the next two weeks will have to report their temperatures to the authorities once a day.
"It's strange to be back. It feels like nothing much has changed here save for people wearing masks and the presence of bottles of hand sanitiser everywhere," said Mr Koh last Wednesday.
"We often joke that our time in Singapore was like a very long holiday for us, from Chinese New Year to Hari Raya to Vesak Day. But now the situation in Wuhan has improved and it's time to resume work," said Mr Koh, who has lived in Wuhan with his family for six years.
While in Singapore, the couple worked remotely while the children attended classes online.
The Koh family is among a growing number of Singaporeans returning to their homes overseas after spending a few months here.
"Returning to Singapore was one of the hardest decisions we have ever made. One of the considerations was that we wouldn't know when we would be able to leave Wuhan (for Singapore) next," said Mr Koh.
He said they also wondered if by staying put, they would put a strain on medical resources in Wuhan if they fell sick. "At that time, resources there were stretched, and us being foreigners, we felt like we shouldn't be a burden to the system there," he added.
Ten months since the virus first surfaced, China has largely stamped out its coronavirus epidemic. As a result, social distancing rules have eased and restrictions on domestic travel have been lifted.
To date, China has reported more than 85,000 confirmed cases and over 4,000 deaths.
Yoga instructor Tan Wenlin, 33, returned to Turin, Italy, in July. She relocated there with her Italian husband in May last year.
They were visiting Singapore during the Chinese New Year period, as the coronavirus was spreading in Italy and the rest of Europe, when they were told that their flight home was cancelled.
At that time, the number of cases in Turin was climbing and the couple decided to wait until it was safer to return. But by July, her husband was told his tourist visa could not be extended. With the situation "under control" in Italy, they decided it was time to fly back.
Said Ms Tan: "Things are fairly normal here except that we have to wear face masks, wear gloves to pick fruit at the supermarkets and practise social distancing.
"The biggest difference is greeting friends and family with elbow taps or a wave instead of bacioni (Italian for kisses), which is usually the norm here."
