"Mabel,Mabel,strong and able,keep your elbows off the table.I was only 3 or 4 years old when my mom taught me this little rhyme. She taught it to teach me polite table manners.

　　I wish learning table manners as an adult were that easy.Each country I've traveled to has presented a new set of rules.Some are easy to discover--some are not.And keeping track of them can give you a headache.
In America,proper manners call for keeping your elbows off the table at mealtime. In fact, thes strict rules even say your left hand should stay in your lap while you eat with your right hand.But travel to Hungary or Austria and you'd better remember to keep both hands on the table to be polite.

　　When you're in Canada or America,don't forget to put your napkin in your America,don't forget to put your napkin in your lap.But if you happen to be touring Romania,remember to leave your napkin on the table.

　　Growing up, I heard my dad lecture me about proper manners time and again. To eat properly, one should sit up straight and carefully bring one's fork to one's mouth.

　　when I first moved to Taiwan those skills were put to the test. Using my dad's method, it took forever to eat a bowl of rice with chopsticks. Then I discovered it was quite all right to pick up my bowl and hold it close to my mouth. What a relief!

　　Knowing how much food to eat can also be tricky. In Taiwan I quickly learned that if I finished all the food, more would be served. It is polite to leave a bit of food on the serving dishes. In Finland, however, your host would be troubled if you left any food on your plate.

　　If you're in America and you do want more food, don't reach across the table for it. That would be considered uncivilized. Instead you need to ask someone to pass you the dish.

　　What would you do if you walked into a restaurant and all the tables were full? In Germany or Taiwan, you might share a table with strangers. People in America, however, prefer more personal space. They may think you are strange if you sit at their table.　

　　And after your meal, should you leave a tip? In some countries a tip is included in the meal price. In 　America, you need to leave extra money on the table to thank your server for a job well done.

　　Before you travel to a new country, be sure to pick up a good book on culture and customs. Take time to watch how the local people act and imitate them. And if you're hosting foreigners, don't leave them guessing the propre way to behave at the table. Share your customs and traditions with them.

　　Keeping track of table manners may not be as easy as learning a childhood rhyme, but it's definitely worth the trouble. After all, no one wants to be embarrassed at the dinner table!