Programming

Is there anyone here who is participating in GSOC (Google Summer of Code) 2011? Or is there anyone who had participated in it earlier?
I have some basic questions about it.

What exactly you want to know?

I want to know that, the mentors that I'll be getting at the GSOC, will they be of the same country as mine or some other country and moreover how will they be helping me with my projects? Will they be available to help me whenever I want or just for a period of time?

Country is not the criteria for getting a mentor. Since, you'll be interacting with them online so there's no need for a mentor to be from the same country.

Well, mentors will not be helping you with everything. Its you who has to do everything. It is assumed that you know something about that project and understand the technicality of the project. What I've seen the successful ones are those who regularly participate in their mailing lists, forums etc. Its something not like preparing for an exam where you spend one month and pass that. Its something which is continued.
I am not sure how much they'll help you because most of the students put forth their own ideas that is suitable for that open source project and they solve that themselves. in my opinion it totally depends on that mentor. If the mentor is really helpful and interactive, he/she will help a lot else you are up on your own.

I reckon you read the guidelines here /chapter: Making-First-Contact / GSoCStudentGuide

I know apart from programming you can even do other stuffs as well. I used to do these things two years back but I guess now things might have changed a bit as I see in the GSoC site that new stuffs have been added.

I also recommend you to post this question at the GSoC forum. I remember they have one because rather than posting GSoC related things here, you can get better information at their forum. Hope this helps but my knowledge is quite out dated with this now.