Tatsuaki Shojima is another polite, mild-mannered young man, just like many other Japanese guys.
But there's one thing that sets him apart from the rest of his countrymen: Shojima is going to play football for the UCLA Bruins.
The 22-year-old offensive lineman enrolled at the world-famous American university when he was recruited by its football team last summer after he played for a couple of years at Santa Monica College. Shojima, who is nicknamed "Gyo" (pronounced Gio), didn't get a scholarship, but is a preferred walk-on and is assured a spot on the team.