Jane Mun grew up in South Korea, “an environment where physical activity is not a priority for kids” she would say. It’s during a working holiday in Australia that Jane discovered herself a life-changing passion for sport and exercise.   

“My teenage years, which involved a lot of studying, were rather sedentary. In Korea, we start school from 8am and can finish at 10pm. PE classes are only optional for students. That’s the norm.”

Unlike her friends who decided to go to uni after high school, Jane courageously decided to break the mould and explore the world with a Working Holiday visa. Her first stop was Australia.

“For nine months, I worked in a juice bar located right in the heart of Surfers Paradise. I was able to observe people’s day-to-day habits. I was shocked to discover that Australians have a much more active lifestyle compared to Koreans,” she recalls.

“I was inspired by older couples jogging every morning on the beach, seeing mums pushing their pram while running and happy kids skateboarding. I tried surfing a few times, but it was not that easy as my fitness level was not there. It was a wake-up call.”

Upon returning to Korea, Jane says the first thing she did was signing up for a gym membership.

“I loved it so much that  I ended up becoming a personal trainer a couple of years later. The fact that I was not an active person to begin with helps me to find the right words to encourage my clients. I used to be in their shoes therefore I can relate to how they feel.”

As Jane had an increasing stream of clients with different needs and conditions, her desire to learn more about the human body became stronger.

“I naturally decided to come back to Australia where it all started. I chose to study Exercise Science at Griffith as the campus is located on the beautiful Gold Coast and my agent told me that Griffith was a leading provider in Health education.”

When asked about her experience to date as an international student, Jane admits that the hardest part for her has been to study in a second language, English, which proved to be more difficult than she initially thought.

“I had to admit to myself that I didn’t start on the same line as others so I needed to make that extra effort to catch up. Now, I truly believe that this has been a valuable experience that is going to be an asset in the future.

“Griffith provides a lot of services aimed at supporting students through their study journey such as personal counselling, financial help and leadership programs. I’ve really been enjoying the extracurricular activities organised by Griffith Mates and the Student Guild.

“Our anatomy lab is amazing. I feel lucky to be able to learn in world-class facilities. I also shouldn’t forget to mention the friendly teaching team, who are always helpful and caring.”

Jane says that her placements played a big factor in motivating her when she was having doubts.  

“Sometimes it can get so easy to forget why I started this degree. Meeting new clients was a great reminder that there are people out there who need help to have a healthier life. I want to be the person who supports them to reach their goals. ”

Griffith is one of Australia’s foremost universities in the delivery of exercise science and sport degrees. Our graduates are sought after to meet the increasing need for qualified specialists with an understanding of the relationship between exercise and health. Learn more about our undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in this field.