Knife and Fork!!!

That was my first travel abroad, 16 January 2005 to Paris.
I was flying Emirates. The trays were served. I was quite hungry, did not mind or rather did not know about any eating manners. Just took the spoon and started to eat the rice. The man next to me, we got introduced to each other when the flight took off, seems he is basically an Indian but settled in France for about 17 years ago. He was fully loaded, however he managed to advice me.

He: Is this your first travel to Europe?
Me: Its my first travel outside India.
He: That explains. You must not eat with spoon,use fork and knife. When you share the table with your western colleague, dont eat with spoon, you will set a bad example about Indians...

Shame on me, I did not know this till he told me. But how can I suddenly learn?
I started observing people how they eat.Knife in which hand and fork in which hand, how they cut the meat, how they manage with the little left overs in the knife and so on...slowly learnt it.

Now I am very comfortable with this, but I think of THAT man with thanks whenever I eat with knife and fork so comfortably.