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Personal Reflection/Anecdote

Nancy: What about your luggage? Dr. Elena Ivanova
joined DKG in 2010
Elena: When you are traveling alone, you have to select carefully what you plan in Texas State
to take and then cut the amount in half. I had one large suitcase on wheels and a Organization and,
handbag. I learned that the most important things to bring with you when you are in 2017. moved to
in a foreign country are cold and flu pills and other items you buy cheaply over Beta Chi Chapter
the counter. Foreign stores may charge you an arm and a leg for something like of Michigan State
ibuprofen. (Laughing.) I became such an expert on packing and travel that I even Organization, where
she currently serves
gave a presentation at one of the Texas State Organization conventions on how to as state president. She
travel on a tight budget. is a museum educator
with an MA in English
Nancy: What about printed materials? How many reams of paper and print Language and Literature
cartridges did you consume? The book is so very well documented, and the from University of Saint
footnotes are extensive. Petersburg, Russia; an
MLS from University
Elena: I tried to avoid printed copies as much as possible. In many archives and of Oklahoma, Norman;
libraries, they can copy documents or pages from books on a flash drive; in some, and a PhD in Education
they allow you to take pictures with your phone. Nevertheless, sometimes making from the Academy of
physical copies was the only way possible. I remember when I was flying from Pedagogical Sciences,
Paris to Minsk, I added a few pounds of printed materials to my luggage and Russia. ivanovae4179@
was charged an extra fee at the airport. (Laughing.) In hindsight, I should have gmail.com
taken them out of the suitcase and added to my carry-on. I also never printed my
manuscript—I saved copies on my laptop, computer, and flash drives.

Nancy: What can you tell about the accommodations during your trips to
Europe? I cannot imagine you stayed at a hotel for a month.
Elena: You are absolutely right; it wouldn’t have been possible. For example, in
Paris, I stayed in a one-room apartment that I rented for a month through Airbnb.
It was convenient because it was close to a subway station and relatively close
to downtown. The place itself must have been a storage room or a closet that the
owner had slightly remodeled: no windows, double doors with a padlock, a table
with a microwave, an electric kettle, and a tiny bathroom separated from the room
by a curtain. No refrigerator—I put a plywood box between the doors, and it kept
the milk, cheese, and eggs cold; luckily, it was April, and the temperatures were
low. In some cities, I was able to stay with relatives, or colleagues invited me into
their homes. That was a blessing!

Nancy: Let’s talk about your research. What sparked your interest in
Gaspard’s art?
Elena: It all started when I worked at the Stark Museum of Art in Orange, Texas.
This museum has 30 paintings by Gaspard—one of the largest public collections
of this artist’s work in the country. I was fascinated by his canvases—they were so
vibrant and colorful. Critics compared them to shiny mosaics, and I agree. I was
reviewing publications about him in preparation for an exhibition and discovered
discrepancies that puzzled me. I wrote a letter to the curators at the Vitebsk
Regional Museum, since the artist hailed from Vitebsk. The reply that I received
added more questions rather than provided answers. Thus, my journey began.

Collegial Exchange · 23