Meet YPC Member Amer Bhatti
What is your occupation?
I am an inside sales representative at Microsoft Canada, in the enterprise business group.
What was the last book you read?
The Shadow of the Wind, by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Come As You Are by Nirvana. I saw them live when I was a kid, so I may be a little biased.
Where is your favourite place in the world?
The water front at Queen’s Quay and Bathurst has a small pier and Perth Park is a small park on the street where I grew up. Going there brings up the simpler times as a kid, when I would sit on a bench in the park on a nice summer day and play my Gameboy for hours. Nostalgic, really.
Why did you join YPC?
I felt it was essential to be involved in social events within my own city as I got older. Life gets in the way of keeping yourself entertained and having a life outside of work—especially during the week. As a guy who’s approaching 30, doing “older person” things keeps me sharp, but continuing to make friends just like we all did in college, and have fun doing it.
What do you like best about being a Young Patron of the ROM?
Being able to meet people with like minds and grow my network, and have something to look forward to every month. It’s almost as if I use the YPC events as a focal point to plan out my weeks. It’s exciting to have something totally out of the ordinary to look forward to, and then to know that I’m part of an exclusive club that allows me to get away from the work week, even just for a few hours.
Describe the ROM in one word.
Consistent. Consistently growing, consistently changing, and consistently evolving to bring unique, world-class exhibitions to Toronto. Consistently getting better and never settling.
Tell us one of your favourite ROM memories.
I was on a Grade 3 field trip and we were eating egg-salad sandwiches for lunch. The wall behind us had a Stegosaurus skeleton lit up with purple lights from underneath. Before the architecture of the ROM revamped ten years ago, the bat cave and that Stegosaurus were right beside each other, and it’s a nostalgic image that sticks with me.
What do you love most about the ROM?
The exhibitions, but more so the role it plays in the city. It’s the central learning hub for people of all ages. Kids can let their imaginations run wild, while adults can be kids once again. It’s a place that never loses its feel.
If you could have anything from the ROM’s collections, what would you choose?
The T-Rex.