" For me, it's Italian, because I'd love to go back to Bergamo and wander the citta alta again, but this time be able to say more than just "Una pinta di Guinness, prego.
I agree with the Chinese and Arabic posts above. Also, Farsi is a good one if you're looking for a language that will have strategic value. But French is a good one if you want to get around in parts of Africa and Europe.
I personally love German . . .
It's similar to English in a lot of ways (they are both Germanic languages), and from German to Dutch, it's a very easy leap (especially if you know English). Then Dutch to Afrikaans is an easy leap too, I'm told. But it all depends on why you want to learn the language, and what your definition of "valuable" is.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.