Warning: Poison Plant

If you think poison ivy is just a plant-obsessed woman who loves to pick a fight with Batman, you cannot be more wrong. There’s another trouble-causing poison ivy around—and this one is for real. Lucky for us Filipinos, this poison plant is found only in the United States and Canada. Poison ivy can grow anywhere—from open woods to roadsides, from stonewalls to edges of fields. Sometimes it grows as weeds; other times it’s a hairy, tree-climbing vine. The plant has no thorns. What set it apart are the clusters of tree almond-shaped leaflets that grow on its stems. The leaves are dull or glossy, light- to dark-green color that turn yellow or red in fall. In winter, the plant loses its leaves; in spring, yellow-green flowers bloom.

The trouble with Urushiol

Yoo-roo-shee-ol. That’s the right way to pronounce urushiol, the sticky, colorless, odorless oil found in poison ivy leaves. When the plant is bumped, torn, rubbed against, this oil is released. And that’s when the trouble begins…

Urushiol bonds to human skin in minutes, causing an allergic reaction that can appear as quickly as within hours from touching the plant or as late as five days after. The skin becomes red and swollen, small blisters begin to form, and the rash becomes very itchy. It takes about a week—sometimes longer—before the blisters start to dry up and the rash to go away.

Not all people are allergic to urushiol, however, and sensitivity to it changes over time. A person who was allergic to it as a child may not be so as an adult, while one who is not sensitive to it at first can become allergic to it later on.

Good for ivy, bad for us

You have probably heard that rising carbon dioxide in the air causes global warming. But did you know that increased carbon dioxide also causes poison ivy vines to grow faster and develop the most toxic forms of urushiol?

An outdoor experiment that simulated the amount of carbon dioxide expected to be in the air by 2050 showed this result. Scientists are hoping the unusually rapid poison ivy growth would be offset by factors like limited sunlight and more animals eating the plant.

Don’t touch!

Urushiol remains active for a long time, even in dead or dried plants. If the plant is burned and its smoke inhaled, a rash may develop in the lungs, causing extreme pain and difficulty in breathing. If poison ivy is eaten, the digestive tract and important organs may be damaged.

Cool showers and medicines like an antihistamine or steroid help decrease the itching and redness caused by urushiol. But the best way to deal with poison ivy is to avoid it in the first place by not touching the plant.

A Korean Student in the Philippines

The message goes:

As you know, we have plenty of Koreans currently studying in the Philippines to take advantage of our cheaper tuition fees and learn English at the same time.

This is an essay written by a Korean student I want to share with you. (Never mind the grammar; it's the content that counts) Maybe it's timely to think about this in the midst of all the confusion at present.

MY SHORT ESSAY ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES Jaeyoun Kim

Filipinos always complain about the corruption of the Philippines. Do you really think the corruption is the problem of the Philippines? I do not think so...I strongly believe that the problem is the lack of love for the Philippines.

Let me first talk about my country, Korea. It might help you understand my point. After the Korean War, South Korea was one of the poorest countries in the world. Koreans had to start from scratch because entire country was destroyed after the Korean War, and we had no natural resources.

Koreans used to talk about the Philippines, for Filipinos we're very rich in Asia. We envy Filipinos. Koreans really wanted to be well off like Filipinos. Many Koreans died of famine. My father and brother also died because of famine. Korean government was very corrupt and is still very corrupt beyond your imagination, but Korea was able to develop dramatically because Koreans really did their best for the common good with their heart burning with patriotism.

Koreans did not work just for themselves but also for their neighborhood and country. Education inspired young men with the spirit of patriotism.

40 years ago, President Park took over the government to reform Korea. He tried to borrow money from other countries, but it was not possible to get a loan and attract a foreign investment because the economic situation of South Korea was so bad. Korea had only three factories. So, President Park sent many mine workers and nurses to Germany so that they could send money to Korea to build a factory. They had to og through horrible experience.

In 1964, President Park visited Germany to borrow money. Hundred of Koreans in Germany came to the airport to welcome him and cried there as they saw President park. They asked to him, "President, when can we be well off?" That was the only question everyone asked to him. President Park cried with them and promised them that Korea would be well off if everyone works hard for Korea, and the President of Germany got the strong impression on them and lent money to Korea. So, President park was able to build many factories in Korea. He always asked Koreans to love their country from their heart. Many Korean scientists and engineers in the USA came back to Korea to help developing country because they wanted their country to be well off. Though they received very small salary, they did their best for Korea. They always hoped that their children would live in well off country.

My parents always brought me to the places where poor and physically handicapped people live. They wanted me to understand their life and help them...I also worked for Catholic Church when I was in the army. The only thing I learned form Catholic Church was that we have to love our neighborhood. And, I have loved my neighborhood. Have you cried for the Philippines? I have cried for my country several times. i also cried for my country several times. I also cried for the Philippines because of so many poor people. I have been to the New Bilibid prison. What made me sad in the prison we're the prisoners who do not have any love for their country. They got to mass and work for Church. They pray everyday.

However, they do not love the Philippines. I talked to two prisoners at the maximum security compound, and both of them said that they would leave the Philippines right after they are released from the prison. They said they would start a new life in other countries and never come back to the Philippines.

Many Koreans have a great love for Korea so that we we're able to share our wealth with our neighborhood. The owners of factory and company we're distributed their profit to their employees fairly so that employees could buy what they needed and saved the money for the future and their children.

When I was in Korea, I had a very strong faith and wanted to be a priest. However, when I came to the Philippines, I completely lost my faith. I was very confused when I saw many unbelievable situations in the Philippines. Street kids always make me sad, and I see them everyday. The Philippines is the only Catholic country in Asia, but there are too many poor people here. People go to church every Sunday to pray, but nothing has been changed.

My parents came to the Philippines loast week and saw this situation. They told me that Korea was much poorer than the present Philippines when they were young. They are so sorry that there are so many beggars and street kids. When we went to Pagsanjan, I forced my parents to take a boat because it would be fun. However, they were not happy after taking a boat. They said that they would not take the boat again because they were sympathized the boatmen, for the boatmen were very poor and had a small frame. Most of people just took a boat and enjoyed it. But, my parents did not enjoy it because of love for them.

My mother who has been working for Catholic Church since I was very young told me that if we just go to mass without changing ourselves, we are not Catholic indeed. Faith should come with action. She added that I have to love Filipinos and do good things for them because all of us are same and have received agreat love from God. I want Filipinos to love their neighborhood and country as much as they love God so that the Philippines will be well off.

I am sure that love is the keyword, which Filipinos should remember. We cannot change the sinful structure at once. It should start from person. Love must start in everybody, in a small scale and have to grow. A lot of things happen if we open up to love. Let's put away our prejudices and look at our worries with our new eyes.

I discover that every person is to be loved. Trust in love, because it makes changes possible. Love changes you and me. It changes people, contexts and relationships. It changes the world. Please love your neighborhood and country.

Jesus Christ said that whatever we do to others we do to Him. In the Philippines, there is God for people who are abused and abandoned. There is God who is crying for love. If you have a child, teach them how to love the Philippines. Teach them why they have to love their neighborhood and country. You already know that God also will be very happy if you love others.

That's all I really want to ask you Filipinos.