Here’s the translation to English: **Friend 1:** Hello, Maria! How are you today? **Friend 2:** Hi, Alex! I'm doing well, thank you. And you? **Friend 1:** I'm good too. I was just thinking about our upcoming trip. Are you excited? **Friend 2:** Of course! I can't wait. I've always wanted to visit Japan. My cousin is Japanese, and she tells me it's amazing. **Friend 1:** That's wonderful! My friend, Paolo, is Italian, and he's been raving about the food there. He says Italian cuisine is the best, but he's curious about Japanese food. **Friend 2:** That's funny, my other friend, Aisha, who is Egyptian, also loves trying new foods. She's always asking me about different cultures. **Friend 1:** It's great that we have friends from different backgrounds. It makes life so much more interesting, doesn't it? **Friend 2:** Absolutely! So, about Japan, are you ready to practice some basic Japanese phrases? **Friend 1:** I've been trying! I know "Konnichiwa" for hello. **Friend 2:** That's a start! I'm sure we'll be fluent by the time we get there.