CG, I'm of a French mother and live in an area with a huge Italian community. I believe the languages are very similar in ways to Spanish. When I was in Cuba, in spite of the fact I don't speak Spanish, nor am I fluent in either French or Italian, if they were talking slow, I understood enough to pick up the gist of the conversation.

I've been told by people that it's a fairly easy language to learn so personally, I'd recommend it for when the Embargo ends you'll be prepared for that trip south I know you want to make so bad!!! That way someone can say to you in Spanish "Hey Seniorita, my brother's wife has a cousin who's uncle is a Security guard in the Cohiba factory ....." and you'll understand him!!!

All kidding aside, because of the Spanish influence in Florida, that's the language you should learn as second to English. My wife took Italian courses in night school to better converse in her job with older Italian people in the area.