cut and switch

Did you know that Americans have a tell-tale eating habit that immediately identifies them as American?  I didn't know this until last week at book club as I was eating my dinner and my Aussie friend pointed out that I eat like such an American.   All the non-Americans (almost everyone else) looked at me and agreed.   Apparently, Americans are the only ones who cut and switch.   We move our fork to our non-dominant hand (my left hand) to cut our food and then return the fork to our dominant hand (my right) to eat the food.  Everyone else in the world who uses silverware keeps the fork in the hand they eat with to cut their food.   They are taught at a young age that it is rude to switch hands like that.   I had no idea.  I have been paying attention lately and it's true....all the Americans I know cut and switch, while everyone else keeps the fork in the same eating hand.   How have I never noticed this before?   I used good old wikipedia to verify...and it's true!  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eating_utensil_etiquette)

Maybe it's better here in Fiji where they just don't use utensils at all and dig straight in with their fingers.   There is definitely less dishes that way....