---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I do think that when you're specifically…"
description: "\"I do think that when you're specifically working in a country like South Africa, you have to be able to be aware of the cultural truth of what people a..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d3/charlize-theron-1430_able_i-do-think-that-when-you-re-specifically_2787868.jpg"
---

#  I do think that when you're specifically working in a…

![“I do think that when you're specifically working in a country like South Africa, you have to be able to be aware of the cultural truth of what people are raised in and believe in and how they function within their society.” quote by Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d3/charlize-theron-1430_able_i-do-think-that-when-you-re-specifically_2787868.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d3/charlize-theron-1430_able_i-do-think-that-when-you-re-specifically_2787868.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d3/charlize-theron-1430_able_i-do-think-that-when-you-re-specifically_2787868.jpg)

> “I do think that when you're specifically working in a country like South Africa, you have to be able to be aware of the cultural truth of what people are raised in and believe in and how they function within their society.”

[Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/)

## About This Quote

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

Working in South Africa requires cultural awareness of local beliefs and societal functions.

**In simple terms:** Understand local culture when working abroad.

Key Takeaway

Learn cultural truths for effective work.

Themes

cultural awareness global work society adaptation

Mood

respectful curious

Type

educational practical

When to use this quote

- international assignments
- NGO work
- corporate expansion

Key Concepts

anthropology business ethics

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you learn local cultural truths?
- What challenges arise from cultural differences?

A Different Perspective

None; cultural misinterpretation can cause conflict.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Africa Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/africa-able-3357958/) [Aware Cultural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aware-cultural-3357957/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Cultural Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cultural-truth-3357956/) [Function](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/function/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Raised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raised/) [South](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/south/) [South africa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/south-africa/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-people/) [Working Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-country-1220280/)

## Related quotes

> [“We should also make ourselves aware that our cultural, ethical, religious, and intellectual traditions have all been profoundly affected by other peoples’.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/we-should-also-make-ourselves-aware-that-our-cultural-ethical/)

[Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/)

> [Going to Africa was being able to take my volunteering and my passion for hospice one step further.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torrey-devitto/going-to-africa-was-being-able-to-take-my-volunteering-and-my-passion/)

[Torrey DeVitto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torrey-devitto/)

> [I wanted to prove that a young boy coming from Africa was able to succeed and achieve a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-eto-o/i-wanted-to-prove-that-a-young-boy-coming-from-africa-was-able-to/)

[Samuel Eto'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-eto-o/)

> [The main problem of America is that you're seeing people working all over this country two jobs, they're working three jobs, and they're getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-main-problem-of-america-is-that-you-re-seeing-people-working-all/)

[Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/)

> [I'm trying to elevate what's working across the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-cardona/i-m-trying-to-elevate-what-s-working-across-the-country/)

[Miguel Cardona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-cardona/)

> [May the work for the further development of chemical science, which has its strongest roots in this beautiful, strong and hard-working country of Sweden,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-wallach/may-the-work-for-the-further-development-of-chemical-science-which/)

[Otto Wallach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-wallach/)

> [Traditionally, nations have harnessed taxpayers to their territory by making almost all social guarantees dependent on working in one country, every day, every month,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/traditionally-nations-have-harnessed-taxpayers-to-their-territory-by/)

[Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/)

> [Should people working in our country speak English? Yes, they should.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-hopkins/should-people-working-in-our-country-speak-english-yes-they-should/)

[Katie Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-hopkins/)

> [The European Commission says that people who are working the country can play in the national team. Perhaps Didier Drogba can play for England…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-patini/the-european-commission-says-that-people-who-are-working-the-country/)

[Michel Patini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-patini/)

> [Well, yeah, people are working in our country. You know what? They're working two and three jobs, and in our America, people should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamala-harris/well-yeah-people-are-working-in-our-country-you-know-what-they-re/)

[Kamala Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamala-harris/)

> [Working in any country where you want to talk about the kind of issues that other people don't want to talk about is difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/working-in-any-country-where-you-want-to-talk-about-the-kind-of/)

[Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/)

> [You get to learn so much while working in another country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-tewari/you-get-to-learn-so-much-while-working-in-another-country/)

[Naveen Tewari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-tewari/)

> [I feel like I know South Africans. I feel like I know our culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/i-feel-like-i-know-south-africans-i-feel-like-i-know-our-culture/)

[Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/)

> [Think bigger than society lets you think. And find mentors. My life is filled with people who knew me when I was 19 and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/think-bigger-than-society-lets-you-think-and-find-mentors-my-life-is/)

[Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/)

> [It's pretty impossible to be a South African and not have been personally affected by HIV or AIDS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/it-s-pretty-impossible-to-be-a-south-african-and-not-have-been/)

[Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/)

## More by Charlize Theron

> [I have been working a lot, and I like it. And you know, it's hard for me not to. I guess I've been working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/i-have-been-working-a-lot-and-i-like-it-and-you-know-it-s-hard-for-me/)

[Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/)

> [I met a woman in Albuquerque and she came and hung out with me in the trailer. It was really just more to kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/i-met-a-woman-in-albuquerque-and-she-came-and-hung-out-with-me-in-the/)

[Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/)

> [ I love the idea of longevity in this career. But \[producing\] is not about, "Let me do this because this might happen 20 years… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/i-love-the-idea-of-longevity-in-this-career-but-producing-is-not/)

[Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/)

> [It's in the eyes, mostly. Don't listen just to the other actor's lines. Look at - and listen to - their eyes. That's where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/it-s-in-the-eyes-mostly-don-t-listen-just-to-the-other-actor-s-lines/)

[Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/)

> [I don't try to kind of go for the overly sympathetic. I don't really like sympathy; I don't like it for myself. Sometimes sympathy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/i-don-t-try-to-kind-of-go-for-the-overly-sympathetic-i-don-t-really/)

[Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/)

> [Looks alone won’t get you that far. It may get you in the door, but there’s always somebody younger, somebody prettier. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/looks-alone-won-t-get-you-that-far-it-may-get-you-in-the-door-but/)

[Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/)

> [I hate actors who come and quote Nietzsche.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/i-hate-actors-who-come-and-quote-nietzsche/)

[Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/)

> [Of course you want your son, your children, to be proud of you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/of-course-you-want-your-son-your-children-to-be-proud-of-you/)

[Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/)

> [I don't really watch a lot of television, and I would watch mindless, mindless television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/i-don-t-really-watch-a-lot-of-television-and-i-would-watch-mindless/)

[Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/)

> [My thoughts and love go out to the Mandela family. Rest in peace Madiba. You will be missed, but your impact on this world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/my-thoughts-and-love-go-out-to-the-mandela-family-rest-in-peace/)

[Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/)

> [I think today women are very scared to celebrate themselves, because then they just get labeled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/i-think-today-women-are-very-scared-to-celebrate-themselves-because/)

[Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/)

> [I don't believe in charmed lives. I think that tragedy is part of the lesson you learn to lift yourself up, to pick yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/i-don-t-believe-in-charmed-lives-i-think-that-tragedy-is-part-of-the/)

[Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/)

> [I don't want to be put on a pedestal. I don't want to be anything other than what we are. I want to just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/i-don-t-want-to-be-put-on-a-pedestal-i-don-t-want-to-be-anything/)

[Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/)

> [I think of myself as a highly sexual creature, I have to use that, I like it.. I didn't grow up with a mother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/i-think-of-myself-as-a-highly-sexual-creature-i-have-to-use-that-i/)

[Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/)

> [I know what I'm capable of wearing in one lifetime and what I really need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/i-know-what-i-m-capable-of-wearing-in-one-lifetime-and-what-i-really/)

[Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/)

[Explore all 242 Charlize Theron quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/)

## More Able quotes

> [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/)

[Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/)

> [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/)

[Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/)

> [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/)

[Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/)

> [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/)

[Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/)

> [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/)

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

> [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/)

[Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/)

> [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/)

[Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/)

> [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/)

[Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/)

> [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/)

[Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/)

> [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/)

[Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/)

> [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/)

[Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/)

> [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

> [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/)

[Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/)

> [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/)

[Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/)

> [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/)

[Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/)

[Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I do think that when you're specifically working in a country like South Africa, you have to be able to be aware of the cultural truth of what people are raised in and believe in and how they function within their society.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Charlize Theron"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/i-do-think-that-when-you-re-specifically-working-in-a-country-like/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Able"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/i-do-think-that-when-you-re-specifically-working-in-a-country-like/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d3/charlize-theron-1430_able_i-do-think-that-when-you-re-specifically_2787868.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d3/charlize-theron-1430_able_i-do-think-that-when-you-re-specifically_2787868.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d3/charlize-theron-1430_able_i-do-think-that-when-you-re-specifically_2787868.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I do think that when you're specifically working in a country like South Africa, you have to be able to be…” — Charlize Theron",
                "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": "Charlize Theron",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I do think that when you're...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/i-do-think-that-when-you-re-specifically-working-in-a-country-like/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/i-do-think-that-when-you-re-specifically-working-in-a-country-like/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
