This is more or less what I had to wake up to this morning, thanks Matthew. Nora and I had to meet an ex-officer or general or something at the school at 7am so that he could get us into the military base and we could give a presentation about our school. Matthew was invited as well but I guess he wanted to sleep or something.

This picture is only slightly accurate because the people we had to stand in front of were dressed all in camouflage and there were about 85 of them. And it was awkward as shit. First of all the school has been trying to get onto the base for years and it hasn't worked because, hello, it's a military base and you can't just wander in and give a chat. This time around, though, we had the help of this one guy so we got the special treatment. Met the "Jefe" - basically your average HBIC - shook hands with important people I don't know, etc. All fine, I don't mind hand shaking, but then after roll was taken Nora and I had to give our talk. Picture 80+ men in uniform, standing "at ease" - to give you an idea of what that means look at the guys in the photo but imagine their heads all facing perfectly forward. Also silence. Also in order to best reach our audience we had to watch them march out to a courtyard surrounding the Mexican flag. And then Nora and I had to be very solemnly led into this courtyard by the head of the Air Force, and then, beneath that great waving flag, present our case. In Spanish. To the Mexican Air Force.

And tomorrow they want us to come back for the military and diving units.

I also feel particularly awkward because it turns out that I've met some of these honchos but don't remember them. The first night I was on the island I went to a military dinner with Mono, Raul, and Wally because someone was leaving the Cozumel base. I don't remember how many people there were, maybe like thirty or forty? But I think that since everyone else was military they remembered me from that event? I don't know, they told Mono they knew me.

To be honest they scare me, they carry really effing huge guns and it's always weird when a clump of them pass by because when they're in uniform I can't tell if I know any of them so I just do something very clever and pretend to be busy pressing buttons on my cell phone.

Time to get my butt back to work.