So I live in Toronto, my area was once a HK oriented area so over the past few years, number of HK are moving out because they don't like to see Mainlanders (Fujianese, Manderin Chinese dialect speakers) moving in. My family is from HK and we moved here before Hong Kong was handed over to China from Britain. I noticed over the past few years, many houses in our neighbourhood like garages would be open from day to night time and they would put sofa, fans, tables, etc. It makes the area like a low-class type of thing because Caucasian/African-American in our neighbourhood would be like WTF? Don't you guys have a living room? It's not just my area, it turns out there are many other places in Toronto and up Markham have these. I know they have right to do what they want but I just find it ghetto. I was walking with my GF on the sidewalk to the recreation park, we often seen number of garages opened up from day to night and they would sit on their chairs watching us walking pass. Just a small rant, that is about it.
To be honest, they pick their nose and forcibly exhale their nasal contents onto the sidewalk (or onto your shoe if you're not fast enough to dodge and get out of the way). Nothing like bringing a little bit of 'home' to the new country, eh? But seriously, social behaviors have to have enough time to, well... socialize. This is true for any immigrant community and every one of which is the cause of some sort of monumental embarrassment to the more worldly of their brethren. But, as time wears on, I'm sure their kids would eventually adapt and become true 'normal' Canadians; fearing death from embarrassment, they'll tell their folks to, "...stop being so ghetto and shut the garage door" at which point the universe would be made whole again... -lol
To let their pets come in out of the heat/cold. Also, some people open their garage on hot summer days to let the air flow. It reduces the temperature of your house.
It could be worst. They could be in their undies only and sitting on their sofa or shitting in your park.
I understand your pain. I guess they're used to the way things are from mainland and they feel like they've already improvement their living environment.
I think it's because there are more than 1 family in these households and they are just trying to maximize living space. Like you said, they are mainly immigrants, and most likely are sponsored by the family that host them. So they are probably trying to fit 12 people in a 3 bedroom house. The living room in the garage is for them to get away from the screaming kids inside the house. The open garage is to air out the stinky smell from the salty fish and stinky tofu they are making! LOL
