---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am from a poor background in Portugal…"
description: "\"I am from a poor background in Portugal. We were medium-down, not down-and-out. My parents felt problems around food in the past but they made sure I d..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f83/carlos-carvalhal-18437_food_i-am-from-a-poor-background-in-portugal_3147762.jpg"
---

#  I am from a poor background in Portugal. We were…

![“I am from a poor background in Portugal. We were medium-down, not down-and-out. My parents felt problems around food in the past but they made sure I did not miss anything. But there was nothing extra, no luxuries.” quote by Carlos Carvalhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f83/carlos-carvalhal-18437_food_i-am-from-a-poor-background-in-portugal_3147762.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f83/carlos-carvalhal-18437_food_i-am-from-a-poor-background-in-portugal_3147762.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f83/carlos-carvalhal-18437_food_i-am-from-a-poor-background-in-portugal_3147762.jpg)

> “I am from a poor background in Portugal. We were medium-down, not down-and-out. My parents felt problems around food in the past but they made sure I did not miss anything. But there was nothing extra, no luxuries.”

[Carlos Carvalhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-carvalhal/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He grew up modestly in Portugal, with basic needs met but no excess.

**In simple terms:** Modest upbringing with basic comforts.

Key Takeaway

Appreciate what you have.

Themes

humility family economic status

Mood

reflective grateful

Type

personal motivational

When to use this quote

- career planning
- budgeting
- gratitude practice

Key Concepts

social class resource scarcity

Questions to Reflect On

- How does your background shape your values?
- What can you do to expand beyond constraints?

A Different Perspective

May overlook opportunities for growth due to limited exposure.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Background Portugal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/background-portugal-5636851/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Food Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food-past-5636852/) [Miss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miss/) [Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents/) [Parents Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents-felt-625754/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Poor background](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-background/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Problems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problems/) [Problems Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problems-food-2641785/)

## Related quotes

> [We take it for granted that because our shelves and supermarkets are heaving with food that there are no problems with food security. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-walport/we-take-it-for-granted-that-because-our-shelves-and-supermarkets-are/)

[Mark Walport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-walport/)

> [We don't value food in Britain, so therefore the cheaper it is the better it is. We all eat far too much, we all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monty-don/we-don-t-value-food-in-britain-so-therefore-the-cheaper-it-is-the/)

[Monty Don](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monty-don/)

> [Anybody interested in solving, rather than profiting from, the problems of food production and distribution will see that in the long run the safest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/anybody-interested-in-solving-rather-than-profiting-from-the-problems/)

[Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/)

> [“Since supper was three kinds of casserole with two kinds of fruit salad, with cake and pie for dessert, I gathered that my flock,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/since-supper-was-three-kinds-of-casserole-with-two-kinds-of-fruit/)

[Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/)

> [There's five factors or characteristics of places where kids from poor backgrounds don't do very well. And those are places that have more economic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwen-ifill/there-s-five-factors-or-characteristics-of-places-where-kids-from/)

[Gwen Ifill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwen-ifill/)

> [You think Jay-Z is going broke? LeBron is going broke? These guys have figured it out. They came from poor backgrounds, broken homes, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-stoute/you-think-jay-z-is-going-broke-lebron-is-going-broke-these-guys-have/)

[Steve Stoute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-stoute/)

> [My parents came from a poor background and worked their way up because of education. They saw it as a way to succeed. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-garner/my-parents-came-from-a-poor-background-and-worked-their-way-up/)

[Jennifer Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-garner/)

> [I come from a poor background, I've seen struggle. Money will come and go, but I will continue to be grounded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dutee-chand/i-come-from-a-poor-background-i-ve-seen-struggle-money-will-come-and/)

[Dutee Chand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dutee-chand/)

> [If you're from a poor background, you have to work even harder. But that's what makes you who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-vorderman/if-you-re-from-a-poor-background-you-have-to-work-even-harder-but/)

[Carol Vorderman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-vorderman/)

> [Labour politicians ask 'Why do so few children from poor backgrounds go to university?' Well, I'll tell them. It's because they don't go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-green/labour-politicians-ask-why-do-so-few-children-from-poor-backgrounds/)

[Damian Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-green/)

> [Just because I'm from North Harrow some people want me to be a proper chav. I'm not from a poor background, but we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-nash/just-because-i-m-from-north-harrow-some-people-want-me-to-be-a-proper/)

[Kate Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-nash/)

> [I myself am from a very poor background; I experienced firsthand poverty in this country, and that is not unrelated to my desire, from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thein-sein/i-myself-am-from-a-very-poor-background-i-experienced-firsthand/)

[Thein Sein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thein-sein/)

> [Since childhood, I have been a fan of Spider Man because, according to me, he has the maximum humanity; he is very human, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiger-shroff/since-childhood-i-have-been-a-fan-of-spider-man-because-according-to/)

[Tiger Shroff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiger-shroff/)

> [My dad came from quite a poor background, so we were made to understand the value of money from an early age, and because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamzin-outhwaite/my-dad-came-from-quite-a-poor-background-so-we-were-made-to/)

[Tamzin Outhwaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamzin-outhwaite/)

> [I used to believe, like many people who come from poor backgrounds, that it gave me an edge, but I think that's just something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-used-to-believe-like-many-people-who-come-from-poor-backgrounds/)

[Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/)

## More by Carlos Carvalhal

> [To me, I don't have any problems. I don't have economic problems. I have an independent life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-carvalhal/to-me-i-don-t-have-any-problems-i-don-t-have-economic-problems-i-have/)

[Carlos Carvalhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-carvalhal/)

> [At every club I have been at I have had a test in the first few weeks from the big players at the club.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-carvalhal/at-every-club-i-have-been-at-i-have-had-a-test-in-the-first-few-weeks/)

[Carlos Carvalhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-carvalhal/)

> [My grandparents, one Christmas, they did not have anything. They did not have money to buy presents. So my grandmother went to the orange…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-carvalhal/my-grandparents-one-christmas-they-did-not-have-anything-they-did-not/)

[Carlos Carvalhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-carvalhal/)

> [I am not a person who says I must talk the same way to every player, I don't agree with this. Some are more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-carvalhal/i-am-not-a-person-who-says-i-must-talk-the-same-way-to-every-player-i/)

[Carlos Carvalhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-carvalhal/)

> [When we go to the opera, we put the clothes on we know we must wear for there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-carvalhal/when-we-go-to-the-opera-we-put-the-clothes-on-we-know-we-must-wear/)

[Carlos Carvalhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-carvalhal/)

> [Just play football. If you are a writer, you must write. It's the best way to practise. If I'm a pianist, I don't need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-carvalhal/just-play-football-if-you-are-a-writer-you-must-write-it-s-the-best/)

[Carlos Carvalhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-carvalhal/)

> [I believe society and football are all the time together, and will come to a new harmony.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-carvalhal/i-believe-society-and-football-are-all-the-time-together-and-will/)

[Carlos Carvalhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-carvalhal/)

> [When I arrive people don't know me very well, but it's about the work we do and the way the team play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-carvalhal/when-i-arrive-people-don-t-know-me-very-well-but-it-s-about-the-work/)

[Carlos Carvalhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-carvalhal/)

> [Sometimes we need to take some time to reflect. Sometimes we need to do something different. Sometimes we need to do something not because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-carvalhal/sometimes-we-need-to-take-some-time-to-reflect-sometimes-we-need-to/)

[Carlos Carvalhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-carvalhal/)

> [I'm Portuguese. After lunch, I need an espresso.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-carvalhal/i-m-portuguese-after-lunch-i-need-an-espresso/)

[Carlos Carvalhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-carvalhal/)

> [I remember Simple Minds, Echo and the Bunnymen, Nina Hagen, Elvis Costello and Duran Duran. And the best concert I ever saw was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-carvalhal/i-remember-simple-minds-echo-and-the-bunnymen-nina-hagen-elvis/)

[Carlos Carvalhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-carvalhal/)

> [I chose Rio Ave because I had something in my head about wanting to do it differently to how I had done it in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-carvalhal/i-chose-rio-ave-because-i-had-something-in-my-head-about-wanting-to/)

[Carlos Carvalhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-carvalhal/)

> [I love football but it doesn't come in front of my family. One time when I was manager of Braga I cancelled my contract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-carvalhal/i-love-football-but-it-doesn-t-come-in-front-of-my-family-one-time/)

[Carlos Carvalhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-carvalhal/)

> [But we must be so creative, trying to simulate the game. How can I make the players, when one is there, another is over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-carvalhal/but-we-must-be-so-creative-trying-to-simulate-the-game-how-can-i-make/)

[Carlos Carvalhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-carvalhal/)

> [If the owner goes inside a team and picks one player to play, I can no longer be the manager. Decisions must be made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-carvalhal/if-the-owner-goes-inside-a-team-and-picks-one-player-to-play-i-can-no/)

[Carlos Carvalhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-carvalhal/)

[Explore all 35 Carlos Carvalhal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-carvalhal/)

## More Food quotes

> [On Sundays, that's my pig out day and I do the pizza and the beer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-silvstedt/on-sundays-that-s-my-pig-out-day-and-i-do-the-pizza-and-the-beer/)

[Victoria Silvstedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-silvstedt/)

> [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/)

[Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/)

> [By eating many fruits and vegetables in place of fast food and junk food, people could avoid obesity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-murdock/by-eating-many-fruits-and-vegetables-in-place-of-fast-food-and-junk/)

[David H. Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-murdock/)

> [“The global population of Earth are involved in the following corporate government experiments: The long term effects of - 1. Nuclear bomb fallout radiation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-global-population-of-earth-are-involved-in-the-following/)

[Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/)

> [“My God, Joseph, your toasted sandwiches are the fucking shit. You do know that right?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ashworth/my-god-joseph-your-toasted-sandwiches-are-the-fucking-shit-you-do/)

[Beth Ashworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ashworth/)

> [I feel like I could eat the world raw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/i-feel-like-i-could-eat-the-world-raw/)

[Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/)

> [To me, Caribbean food is about fresh, seasonal produce - using what's in season to create vibrant and great tasting food. The spicing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ainsley-harriott/to-me-caribbean-food-is-about-fresh-seasonal-produce-using-what-s-in/)

[Ainsley Harriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ainsley-harriott/)

> [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/)

[Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/)

> [“if you cannot control your hunger and appetite, good luck managing your blood chemistry, metabolism, waistline, and, in the bigger picture, the prospect of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-perlmutter/if-you-cannot-control-your-hunger-and-appetite-good-luck-managing/)

[David Perlmutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-perlmutter/)

> [“Hungarian Proverb: A dish of cabbages can be heated when it grows cold, but it will never taste the same.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mourid-barghouti/hungarian-proverb-a-dish-of-cabbages-can-be-heated-when-it-grows-cold/)

[Mourid Barghouti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mourid-barghouti/)

> [“The phrase “low and slow” was coined to describe the relatively low temperatures used for smoking and the lengthy amount of time it takes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-reader/the-phrase-low-and-slow-was-coined-to-describe-the-relatively-low/)

[Ted Reader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-reader/)

> [Things live and die, and then someone processes them into edible portions. This is a complete telling of the story, 'Food.' The basic plot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/things-live-and-die-and-then-someone-processes-them-into-edible/)

[David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/)

> [“Live is like a box of chocolates, we are all just waiting for a hungry hand to come down and grab us and eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunshine/live-is-like-a-box-of-chocolates-we-are-all-just-waiting-for-a-hungry/)

[sunshine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunshine/)

> [Sometimes, when full and in fear that I will continue to eat unwanted food just because it's staring at me, I will place my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-nichols/sometimes-when-full-and-in-fear-that-i-will-continue-to-eat-unwanted/)

[Rachel Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-nichols/)

> [“Pumpkin Flavor Latte Scrub   Ingredients 1 ½ cups of brown sugar 2 tablespoons of ground coffee 1-2 tablespoons of pumpkin spice ¾ -1…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-hilton/pumpkin-flavor-latte-scrub-ingredients-1-cups-of-brown-sugar-2/)

[Kate Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-hilton/)

[Browse all 34,183 Food quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I am from a poor background in Portugal. We were medium-down, not down-and-out. My parents felt problems around food in the past but they made sure I did not miss anything. But there was nothing extra, no luxuries.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Carlos Carvalhal"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-carvalhal/i-am-from-a-poor-background-in-portugal-we-were-medium-down-not-down/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Food"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-carvalhal/i-am-from-a-poor-background-in-portugal-we-were-medium-down-not-down/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f83/carlos-carvalhal-18437_food_i-am-from-a-poor-background-in-portugal_3147762.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f83/carlos-carvalhal-18437_food_i-am-from-a-poor-background-in-portugal_3147762.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f83/carlos-carvalhal-18437_food_i-am-from-a-poor-background-in-portugal_3147762.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I am from a poor background in Portugal. We were medium-down, not down-and-out. My parents felt problems…” — Carlos Carvalhal",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Carlos Carvalhal",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-carvalhal/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I am from a poor background...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-carvalhal/i-am-from-a-poor-background-in-portugal-we-were-medium-down-not-down/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-carvalhal/i-am-from-a-poor-background-in-portugal-we-were-medium-down-not-down/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
