Photos by Jared Soares | The Roanoke Times

Tamiko Aptsiauri came to the United States from Tbilisi, Georgia. He plans to earn a degree at Ferrum College in business management.

Ferrum College head coach Rod Baker provides instruction to soccer players including Tamiko Aptsiauri (center).

Freshman soccer player Tamiko Aptsiauri (right) of Tbilisi, Georgia, should add some scoring punch to Ferrum's team this year.

FERRUM -- An American education is an opportunity for advancement for some. For one Ferrum College freshman, it's both an opportunity and a safe haven from turmoil in his country.

Three weeks ago, Teimuraz "Tamiko" Aptsiauri was hiding in a home in the Republic of Georgia countryside, avoiding a call to join the ranks of the army.

War broke out in Georgia when Russian forces invaded the former Soviet Union territory after the Georgian government attempted to suppress the dissident region of South Ossetia.

The two countries are at odds over the independence of South Ossetia and another breakaway region, Abkhazia, both located on the border with Russia.

When the war began Aug. 8, fear and panic spread, the 18-year-old said.

"The shooting, bombs all around. It was terrible," Aptsiauri said.

The chaos erupted shortly before his planned move to the United States, where Aptsiauri hopes to earn a degree in business management. The war not only endangered everyone's safety, but Aptsiauri's chances to leave.

"The next day when I woke up, there was a letter in my door," he said. "It was notice that I have to go to the army."

Less than a week later, army officials went looking for him at his parents' home in the capital city of Tbilisi.

But Aptsiauri was hiding with some friends in his family's country home.

"I would go in the army with pleasure to serve my country and fight for it, but you know, my flight was about in a week," he said.

While he hid, Aptsiauri worried.

His flight was scheduled for Aug. 20, but up until the day before, the airport remained closed, he said.

When it opened, Aptsiauri started his journey, not sure of the consequences for avoiding service or when he might see his family again.

Now removed from his war-torn country and getting acclimated to the mountains of Franklin County, Aptsiauri said he is already getting into the swing of things at Ferrum.

After 24 hours of travel Aug. 20, he slept 18 hours and then went straight to soccer practice.

Since then, Aptsiauri has been meeting other students and attending soccer practice in preparation for the team's first game Tuesday against Roanoke College.

There was much doubt on the college's end whether Aptsiauri was going to make it to Ferrum.

Director of Admissions Gilda Wood repeatedly e-mailed Aptsiauri to see how he was doing and if he'd still be coming.

Head soccer coach Rod Baker also worried that one of his potentially best players wouldn't arrive before the start of the season.

Baker joked he was willing to do anything to make sure Aptsiauri made it.

Aptsiauri discovered Ferrum last year as a foreign exchange student in North Carolina. He visited many colleges and was accepted to a few, but chose Ferrum because of its soccer team and the people, he said.

Aptsiauri's soccer skills are expected to provide the Panthers a boost. He's played for 15 years, including a stint on the national soccer team. He is expected to provide scoring punch for Ferrum's attack.

The lines of communication with his family remain open, but Aptsiauri doesn't know when he'll be able to go home again.

"It's really hard because there's war and you don't know what will happen," he said.

That uncertainty made it difficult to leave his family, but his parents were glad their only child got out, he said.

In the meantime, other international students and Ferrum faculty are ready to act as a surrogate family.

Sasha Saari, director of international studies, said her Russian language students are excited to spend time with Aptsiauri, who speaks Kartuli, Russian, French and English.

"These guys are ready to look out for him because they know he's worried about his family," Saari said of the other international students.