Stuck in Philippines, Chinese woman adapts to life

"Prices on the island are very low and there is no online shopping or food delivery service," she said. "I seldom spent more than 500 yuan ($77.30) a month."

"I feel relaxed and I can save lots of time and money to do something else," she said. "I really like to talk with my family members and friends about the simple life on the island."

After the lockdown of the island, Hong found that some residents had lost their jobs and had difficulty supporting their families. She wanted to do something for them and asked the hotel owner for help.

They decided to make Chinese baozi — steamed stuffed buns — to send to people in need.

In fact, Hong didn't know how to make baozi. She found an online course, and after watching the video repeatedly, she began to make the buns for several hotel employees.

Considering residents' religious customs, Hong visited local public officials who knew each family and made a list of 100 families, grouping them by their pork or chicken preference.

She and her friends spent a week making 1,000 baozi, which they sent to the needy families.

Accompanied by her new local friends, Hong learned some new things, such as diving, swimming and driving. She also experienced cliff diving and camping in the wild, which she had never wanted to try before.

In her spare time, Hong shared videos of life on the island on social media platforms, helping her make new friends.

"Although life on the island is temporary, it really brings me lots of surprises," she said. "I will still look for a more colorful life in the future."