Trent University Student Among 100 Rhodes Scholars Selected Worldwide

Trent University international student Joshua (Yee Aung) Low has been selected as a 2019 Oxford University Rhodes Scholar—the oldest and most celebrated international fellowship award in the world.

A 4th-year International Development Studies (IDS) and International Political Economy student, Low attributes part of his success as a recipient of the coveted scholarship to the personalized learning environment at Trent, the academic rigour of the IDS program, and the incredible support and mentorship from his professors and the Trent International team.

“At Trent, professors care about you both personally and intellectually,” says Low. “Studying International Development, I have loved the intellectual challenge and the tight-knit community of the program. Starting with Trent International as soon as I arrived from Malaysia and continuing through the last four years, my time at Trent has been very meaningful for me and full of many key experiences and cherished friendships.”

Joshua Low

Low has a strong interest in forced migration issues, human rights theory and practice, and citizenship theory that was fostered through his experiences at Trent.

“One of the first things that strikes one about Joshua is his genuine intellectual curiosity—this is about ideas, but also much more,” says Dr. Chris Beyers, professor of International Development Studies at Trent. “He continually seeks insight into how people think and act, in social, economic and political contexts, as well as in everyday life.”

Low applied for the esteemed Rhodes Scholarship in hopes of continuing his intellectual journey at the University of Oxford in the Refugee and Forced Migration Studies master’s program where he is looking forward to “living and loving the questions.” Trent International supported his application and helped fund his more than 20-hour journey back home to Malaysia where he completed his final interview before being named the successful applicant in November.

Low—who will graduate from Trent this spring—is the fifth Trent student to be named a Rhodes Scholar. Previous recipients include: Shelagh Scarth ‘74 (Canadian Studies and History), Jim Retallack ‘74 (History), Alison Van Rooy ’86 (Politics & International Development Studies), and Kai Alderson ‘90 (Philosophy).

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Watch Episode 32 Of PTBOCanada With Mayor-Elect Diane Therrien

On Episode 32, we talk to mayor-elect Diane Therrien about her backstory, how she came to Peterborough, her passion for community, and her vision for the city moving forward.

Watch the episode below…

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Watch: Our "We Are PTBO" In Conversation With Wayne Ferguson At Black Honey Cafe

PTBOCanada.com in collaboration with our spinoff agency StudioPTBO have launched a new Docu-Series called "We Are PTBO". The series spotlights ordinary citizens in the community who help make this city extraordinary.

Wayne Ferguson

The series is produced by Rob "Electric City" James from StudioPTBO. In this show, we chat with photographer Wayne Ferguson at Black Honey Cafe on Hunter Street about all things Peterborough and community, including art/murals, affordable housing and men’s mental health.

Watch the episode below…

Watch the first episode here in conversation with Amino Yusuf.

Know someone that you think should be spotlighted in the series? Email Rob here.

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Wimpy's Diner... You Rock!

Sam & Bonnie, Owners of Wimpy’s Diner Peterborough

Each month, PTBOCanada will award someone that is making a difference locally that you nominate. This month, Chad Buchner from Small Change PTBO gave a glowing shoutout to Sam, Bonnie and Tas Shamsuz—the owners of Wimpy’s Diner (1080 Lansdowne Street West).

Here’s what Chad had to say about them…

“These people have supported this community for the past two years by serving people free Thanksgiving meals for those who need a small change. Recently, we served over 350 meals and this family welcomed everyone into their restaurant just like it was their home.

Being the Vice President of Small Change Peterborough, I have come to see many amazing people in our community with big hearts but these people do not get the credit they truly deserve.”

— Chad Buchner

Know of an unsung hero who has made a difference here in Peterborough? Nominate them for a “You Rock” award and they might receive a handmade token of their awesomeness!

—post and photo by Evan Holt

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Watch: Peterborough Chamber CEO Stuart Harrison On Growing Up In A Town Of 35 People, Leadership, Collaboration, Community & More

On Episode 30 of “PTBOCanada”, Peterborough Chamber of Commerce CEO Stuart Harrison talks to us about growing up in a town of 35 people in Leipzig, Saskatoon where his parents ran a hotel/pub, and where Stu lived above the pub.

The town of Leipzig where Stuart Harrison grew up

We also cover what brought Stu to Peterborough four decades ago, what being CEO of the Peterborough Chamber (he is celebrating 15 years there) has meant to him, the impact of his Business Beat column, where we’re at now as a community, and how a recent health scare with something called Transient global amnesia gave him even greater perspective on life.

Stu Harrison on “PTBOCanada” show

Watch the interview with Stu below…

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Watch: Peterborough Symphony Orchestra Michael Newnham Music Director Interviewed On PTBOCanada Show

On Episode 29 of “PTBOCanada”, we sit down with Michael Newnham, who has been the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra Music Director & Conductor for 18 years.

Michael Newnham

Michael—also the Founding Conductor of the Kawartha Youth Orchestra—has lived and conducted around the world but talks about why he chose to make Peterborough his permanent home.

In this wide ranging interview, he speaks about his passion for music, community and life…

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Watch: Bullet The Pig On PTBOCanada Show

Bullet on PTBOCanada show. He loves his Cheerios!

On Episode 27 of PTBOCanada, our Neil Morton interviews Sarah Heydon, owner of the local celebrity pig Bullet the Pig, who appears at many events.

Sara discusses the amazing impact Bullet has had on her life… and the life of many others.

Sarah Heydon on PTBOCanada

Watch our interview with Sarah (and Bullet) below, and learn more about Bullet in this recent article we did about him…

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Watch: A Peterborough Grandmother Of 5 On Why She's Become An Environmental Activist/Leader

On Episode 26 of PTBOCanada, our Neil Morton sit downs with Peterborough's Kate Grierson, a grandmother of five (soon to be a sixth) who has become an environmental activist/leader after taking Al Gore’s Climate Reality training course in Pittsburgh in 2017.

On the heels of this New York Times article that details scientists’ findings that there is a strong risk of climate crisis as early as 2040 unless we take extreme measures now to combat it, Grierson outlines some of the ways we can all make a difference in our everyday lives. This is a political and moral issue, she says. Watch the interview below…

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Watch: John Witzing From The Whiteboard Project On Running In A Shipping Container For 24 Hours

On Episode 25 of PTBOCanada, Peterborough’s John Witzing talks about how his Whiteboard Project lead to him running in a shipping container in Lake Tahoe, California for 24 Hours to raise money for Wounded Warriors Canada and other mental health initiatives.

John Witzing on PTBOCanada

In the wide-ranging interview, John talks about the resilience and mental fortitude it took him and another Peterborough guy, Josh Chessman, to be able to do this extreme 24-hour isolation and endurance challenge at the Spartan World Championships on September 28th…

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Fall In Love With A Peterborough Piglet Named Bullet Having An Impact On So Many

Most people choose dogs or cats as pets, or perhaps a hamster, ferret, fish or bird. Sarah Heydon grew up that traditional route as well with cats and dogs, but when she got a pet pig named Bullet about a year and a half ago, it changed her life.

She completely fell in love with Bullet—they actually even share a birthday, May 24th—as have all those that meet this outgoing, adorable piglet at events and on walking trails. Indeed, he’s becoming a bit of a celebrity—and even has his own Instagram page.

But before we continue with the now about the impact this mini-pig has had on her and others, let’s back up to the beginning, to the Once Upon A Time.

Sarah’s journey with Bullet began when she saw a post that someone had put into the Peterborough Buy and Sell Facebook group. The woman was trying to sell a litter of pigs, and specified "For pets only, not food."

This was when Sarah realized that perhaps having a pig in her home was in the realm of possibility. The only connection to pigs Sarah had up until this point in her life was limited to the fact that she had made a deliberate choice not to eat pig meat as a child, something she’s carried into adulthood now as a vegetarian.

Sarah with Bullet

“I began to research if owning a pig was a feasible option for me,” Sarah tells PTBOCanada. “I started reading online resources and made connections to knowledgeable breeders for several weeks before I decided to commit. When I checked Kijiji, I found there were plenty of pigs in the area being re-homed. I drove to Oshawa to meet Jackson (soon to be renamed Bullet), whose family had put him up for adoption. This tiny 12-week-old piglet immediately stole my heart, and the rest as they say, is history.”

Sarah brought the piglet home to her place in Peterborough that she shares with her partner Shane Curry, potty training him in her backyard in a matter of a day or so, and training him on the leash quickly as well.

She changed his name to Bullet, as she is an Armed Guard and shoots at a firearms club in Cobourg. Bullet spends some time in the backyard, but is a bit of a diva compared to the younger pigs Sarah has now, preferring to be warm and cuddled up inside. Just like many humans, he is not a big fan of the rain or the cold.

He’s also had a bit of a rough stretch lately, as he lost his best buddy Pearl the Pig (also adopted), who Sarah had to put down unexpectedly this summer due to a twisted intestine that she couldn’t recover from—even after surgery.

Best buddies: Pearl and Bullet

Bullet and Pearl loved to go with Sarah and Shane to the Harold Town Conservation Area trails and explore. Bullet got depressed when Pearl passed away, and at this point turns up his nose a bit to the seven month old pigs—Piper (the “P” a nod to the deceased Pearl) and Ivy—that Sarah has now.

”Pigs tend to do better with a friend, as they are social animals,” Sarah explains. “Pearl and Bullet were the ultimate pig duo, and Bullet was largely responsible for training her, as she followed him everywhere! Their bond has yet to be duplicated. Losing her was so devastating to Bullet and me. In the days after having to put her down, I realized how deeply these animals have affected my life. Pigs are wonderful.”

Shane with Bullet

Bullet gets recognized a lot by other pet owners and hikers on the Harold Town trails, many of which know him by name. “I did not want to miss out on my favourite past time of hiking just because I have a pig rather than a dog,” Sarah tells PTBOCanada. “Harold Town is his 'happy place’.” Indeed, pigs—like dogs—love going for walks.

People regard Bullet in amazement when they spot him on the trails. He is a wonder to watch as he sprints through the forest—pigs can run a 7 minute mile—stopping to eat grass, rolling in mud, all the while never leaving Sarah’s sight. ”Bullet will explore off the trails in the trees while we walk, but he’ll come when he is called if he falls behind,” she says.

On the trails, dogs are typically more interested in Bullet than he is them. “Pigs don’t typically ‘play’ in the sense that dogs do,” Sarah explains. “They do a bit as piglets, but so far I have seen them all grow out of it for the most part. They do have random bursts of energy though, as they will sprint, run around like crazy, spin in circles, etc. Pigs will also bark like a dog when they are happy.”

Sarah and Shane with Bullet

Sarah gets asked a lot of questions about Bullet—”You have a pig? Why?”—and loves educating people on how these pot belly pigs actually make great pets.

“I believe pigs are one of the most misunderstood of domesticated animals,” Sarah says. “Since pigs are mainly associated with food, there is little or no education on what these beautiful animals are truly like. I will tell you first hand, they are so much more than breakfast! With hundreds of vocalizations to translate, an intellect compared to that of a three-year-old, and a tendency to explore with their mouths, they are more comparable to a toddler rather than a dog.”

Some people Sarah meets on the trails and events and beyond have told her that meeting Bullet has made them second guess what they eat, or stop eating pig products completely. “I can't help but declare Bullet as Peterborough's official ambassador for pig education, and I am merely the Liaison,” Sarah says.

The adorable Bullet

Sarah gets asked a laundry list of questions by curious observers—including us—about having a pig as a pet. Some of the oft-repeated facts she gives:

-> Pigs can live up to 20 years
-> Mini pigs will grow to between 50 to 300 pounds, at an interval speed until approximately five years of age.
-> Sarah feeds him human food (of course, not bacon) rather than pellets, such as grain, veggies, fruit, seeds, nuts and Cheerios.
-> There is no such as “micro pigs” that stay small. “Micro pigs do not exist—it is a marketing scheme developed by breeders to sell their litters at higher price,” Sarah says.
-> They do “bark” when happy

Speaking of happy, now on to that celebrity factor that Bullet is developing. His friendly, outgoing nature—not to mention his cuteness quotient—means that his cool factor goes beyond Instagram.

He has met so many fantastic people, and become so socialized, that Sarah has started carting him around to many local events. This includes several with the Peterborough Humane Society, Peterborough Vegfest and the Keene Pumpkin Festival, to name a few. People love getting their pictures taken with Bullet, who brings joy to adults and children alike.

Chill time at home involves Bullet, Piper and Ivy sleeping on the couch while Sarah and Shane are at work. “They get gated into the living room since Bullet is known to help himself to snacks in the fridge,” Sarah says, adding that the pigs (like other animals) like to be right up in bed with the couple—Shane hates this, Sarah not so much.

Sarah’s affection for and perspective on pigs has changed her life. So much so that the couple have begun looking for a home in which they can have the space to rescue and foster other pigs—a passion project inspired by Bullet and a tribute to Pearl.

“Shane and I will look for a home with upwards of three acres,” she says. She knows full well that fostering and rescuing pigs is a bit of a battle financially, but Sarah is dreaming big and one can’t doubt that she will find a way to make it work. Pigs are her passion.

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