Originally written for www.blackatlas.com. View the original article here.

If you’re familiar with Dhani Jones, then you already know that he’s a superstar athlete, an artist and an entrepreneur. A modern day Renaissance man, if you will.

The Cincinnati Bengals linebacker and Maryland native is also a world traveler, and has been since a fairly young age. Whether he’s cris-crossing the planet for his sports/travel show, Dhani Tackles the Globe, or embarking on a personal trip to relax and unwind, Dhani sees travel as a way to both educate and become educated.

Read on to get Dhani’s thoughts on travel, the importance of global citizenship and more.

As a person of color, are there any countries you’ve traveled to where you felt ‘out of place’?

Plenty of places I didn’t even seen anyone of color until a couple of days into the trip and at times I didn’t see any at all. But let me step back. People of color are everywhere, there just aren’t that many black Americans traveling. I suppose part of the reason why I love to travel is because I can bring stories to many who feel afraid and reluctant and positively influence others that look like me to get on a 747 and travel.

What do you think some of the common misconceptions people of color may have about different cities abroad?

That they won’t be accepted, that there is no one that looks like them, that there is no way to identify with anyone in another country, possibly there is no way another country or city could be better then there own. A big one that I hear many times is the language barrier. Many black Americans, let alone Americans, don’t speak another language. I think it needs to be a greater focus.

Are you surprised by the way Black culture/the Diaspora has touched so many different parts of the globe?

I’m not surprised at all; music, much like sports, is universal. What is so beautiful about people from different places is that they are able to take something and make it theirs: hip-hop, jazz, rap, etc…all of that originated from Africa. Story telling from tribe to tribe; that’s all that is occurring. Whether your Japanese or Indian, you realize you have a story to tell and maybe they (Africans) have found the best way to communicate.

Have you traveled anywhere and been surprised that there ‘were black people there’? Where?

I am never surprised when I do see black people. Often, I’m surprised when that black person speaks the language and I have to do a double take. A black person speaking Cambodian or Icelandic or having a Scottish accent…it just isn’t something I see or hear everyday.

What particular cities/countries inspire your creative side?

I think I am able to take something amazing away from every country. In Australia, many designers use the sea and the mountains to influence their work and I believe I can apply that to my bowties one day. When I was in Cambodia there was an amazing photo on every corner: faces I tried to capture every chance I got. The architecture of the Basque region of Spain was simply amazing, breathtaking if you will.

Does the artist in you motivate you on the field and vice versa?

I think the artist is first and then all else falls into line. The artist is in everything I do and motivates, inspires and feeds on its own momentum. At the core is creativity. Now how it’s applied is different. Take, for instance, football. I look at the field, the plays and the “happenings” if you will, as a canvas. I look at travel as different paint colors on the canvas or different mediums, oil (smooth and delicate) acrylic (rough and strong)… I look at business as the lines or the border of the canvas. I’m just trying to paint the most amazing picture. I want to give that to other people. I want them to see so that they can do the same, do more.

You have a lot of jobs…a couple of which are pretty taxing, physically. How do you unwind?

Unwinding takes place by meditating, it takes place on airplanes because it’s sometimes 15 hours of doing nothing, other times I must go to the beach in order to relax. But, many times, I don’t feel to taxed because, if you are truly doing something you love, then your body feeds off of it.

Where have you not traveled to that you are dying to visit?

India, Mongolia, South Africa, South Pole. I’m up for anything. I have the travel bug and when you get it, you can’t shake it…

What’s next for Dhani Jones?

Well, of course, Dhani Tackles the Globe. I’m going to keep trekking, keep learning and keep teaching. Then after that I’ll jump on a sailboat and go around the world and check it out from an ocean perspective, then I’ll go climb 10 of the highest (medium to high) peaks and check everything out from the sky. Who knows really? ‘Cause when you live and truly “live”, anything is possible.