Almost Ready to Research in Archives

I begin research tomorrow in the Tchaikovsky Museum.  The past few days, I have done prep work for this research.  I have been to the bus depot that will take us do the Tchaikovsky Museum.  I have also been to the Glinka Museum.  Today we went and looked at their exhibits.  Everyone was so kind.  I didn't understand most of what the lady at the desk told me, but I understood bits and pieces.  The main exhibit was that of musical instruments around the world.  It was incredibly interesting.  The ladies who worked in the gallery were very helpful, and quite resourceful in the way they could communicate.  With my limited Russian, I was able to understand most of what they said.  

The exhibit was also quite neat because whenever a child was there with his/her parents, there was a designated tour guide for them.  The tour guide allowed them to play different instruments, asked them questions, and involved their parents.

Last night I made a list of the music I wanted to look at in the museums (prioritized list).  Today I will write out what I will say the guards at each museum, so they will let me in to the reading rooms to research.  My father-in-law is going to help me, although I hope they will let him in- I have letters of invitation and he does not.  I hope to explain this to the guards and/or librarians and/or archivists.  These are the things I must write out.  Also, I will put my papers together this evening.

Also, last night my father-in-law and I went out to dinner with a man named Vladimir, and his wife.  Vladimir is a faculty member at the Moscow Conservatory.  He is extremely kind, he loves music, and he is extremely interested in collaborative partnerships between musicians in Russia and the US.  This is right up my ally!  

Overall, I have been extremely impressed with people and music the last 24 hours.