On adulthood, social conformity, and travelling in Kino's Journey

Adults were always telling the children: "You can do whatever you like as children. But afterwards, it's forbidden! You see, adults have to work. Work is necessary and the most important thing in life! When you work, you'll certainly have to do things that you don't like, or that you think it's wrong. That's very hard!"

I lived two years in abroad and while I haven't been unhappy away from there, I've always longed to be back, and I am rapidly approaching the point where I'm having to make some Decisions if that is something I actively want to pursue. So on a lovely Saturday afternoon, I sat down in a café an did some ruminating, and sure enough: What I discovered was that what I wanted wasn't so much being in Germany, as that being not-home meant that I would of course come home someday and wouldn't settle-settle in Germany either. Do I love life in Germany? Indisputably, but maybe not as much as I fear staying in the same place for thirty years and being tied down by work and mortgages and a social network I cannot replace. In the end, I suspect my wanderlust is really fear of settling down and settling with the life as a proper adult.

Then I went home and watched the second half of the 2017 anime adaptation of Kino's Journey, which includes its own take on the episode wherein this conversation happens.

Watch on YouTube

( I'm honestly feeling so attacked right now )