Reply to Do you know how to use chopsticks?

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[quote=Anonymous]I learned at camp, age 14 -- Japanese language immersion camp. No one would show me how to use them (lot of jerks at this camp), so for the first couple of meals I would spear strawberries or eat with  my hands, while watching others. After that I got the hang of it pretty quickly -- nothing like hunger as a motivator.  Then I lived in Japan for several years and got a lot of practice there. I don't hold them perfectly (my host mother used to remark on this), but I am very competent.

Also, it's customary in Japan to lift the food bowl toward your face so the food doesn't have as far to travel. You don't actually shovel it into your mouth, as another poster suggested (other than soup), but you do hold it somewhere between chest and chin, and pick things up from there.

I suggest watching youtube and practicing at home with reasonably sized items, like small chicken pieces. Rice can come later. The most important thing is not to hold them too far down. You want your hand to be somewhat close to the non-eating end, not halfway down the stick. Think of a see-saw -- you can't do much if you sit in the middle, you need to be toward one end or the other. This should also help with keeping the sticks from crossing.  Finally, you need to practice not just to get the technique, but to develop hand/finger strength. It can be tiring to eat with chopsticks for a whole meal if you're not used to it. Maybe try using them at home one to two meals a week.[/quote]

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