my name ist Bettina Maisch, I study communication in Berlin. And I really do hope that you can help me ;) Two friends of mine and me are writing on a research paper about finding your "homecountry/motherland" in the virtual communities or in the Internet. That's why we are searching for EVERYTHING related to this issue. We are especially looking for comments, surveys, hints on literature or sites in the web, with focus on this subject. We have also created a little questionnaire. We would kindly like to ask you to answer these few questions and send it back to us. We really would appreciate your help. Before you start to think about these questions, you should know, what we mean, when we are talking about "homecountry/motherland". In Germany we have a term called "Heimat" that is translated to English with the term "homecountry/motherland". But "Heimat" actually has a different meaning than only "the country, where a person was born" and there is more behind this word than only a geological meaning. When we are talking about "homecountry /motherland" we also mean the feeling of "belonging to a place" or the impression of "living a satisfying life in this place". Those feelings of "Heimat" don't always root in a certain geological place, these feelings can also be the result of a functioning friendship or relationship. Hopefully you understand what we mean by the expression "homecountry or motherland". And here are the questions: 1. What do you associate with the term "homecountry/motherland"? And what do you think about "homecountry/motherland" concerning the Internet? 2. Do you actually think that it is possible to find a piece of "homecountry/motherland" through the Internet? 3. Can you imagine to find your homecountry/motherland" in the Internet? (Maybe in the future. You can use your fantasy!) 4. How could the Internet influence the search for a "homecountry/motherland" or how could the Internet offer a solution in order to find homecountry/ motherland"? You can send your answers and hints for more information to: mailto:tina_maisch@yahoo.de Thank you very much for your help. Yours Julica, Christopher and Bettina. === Bettina Maisch mailto:tina_maisch@yahoo.de Wer sich fuer nichts mehr begeistern kann, verschrumpelt innerlich. Unbekannt

Someone should put them in contact with Eva Kulda.

I just did their questionnaire in Eudora and sent it out. Any idea how from many Springeurs they have heard?