Throughout the meal, if you're just sort of pausing or taking a break from eating, you can put your fork and knife like this to show that you're not finished yet.
Why do some non-native speakers of English claim that it's a difficult language to learn, while infants born into English-speaking communities acquire their language before they learn to use forks and knives?
We found though that it's more efficient for each person to bring his or her own dishes, so be sure to pack a plastic bowl, a cup, and a fork knife and spoon.