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Simple Gaijin Student Policies

Effective: 08/01/2026

Last Updated: 07/30/2026

 

My goal is to provide a professional, enjoyable, and effective learning environment where students can confidently improve their Japanese language skills. The following policies are designed to ensure fairness, consistency, and respect for everyone's time.
 

By scheduling lessons with Simple Gaijin, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to the policies outlined below. All students will be required to sign off

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Scheduling Lessons

- Lessons are scheduled by mutual agreement between the student and instructor. Once a recurring lesson time has been established, that time is reserved exclusively for you and will remain your regular class time until you choose to discontinue lessons or another arrangement is mutually agreed upon.
 

- Please be ready to begin your lesson at the scheduled start time with all necessary materials prepared and your internet connection tested.
 

- If you would like to change your regular lesson day or time, Simple Gaijin will make every reasonable effort to accommodate your request based on current availability. However, because lesson times are reserved for individual students, your preferred day or time cannot be guaranteed.

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Cancellation - Rescheduling Policy

- Since Simple Gaijin was founded, I have always tried to be as flexible as possible because I understand that work, school, family, and life's unexpected events can sometimes interfere with scheduled lessons. Unfortunately, repeated abuse of that flexibility has made it necessary to adopt a firm cancellation policy. To ensure fairness to all students and to respect the time reserved for each lesson, Simple Gaijin no longer offers free rescheduling of missed classes.

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  • Cancellations made 24 hours or more before the scheduled lesson will not be charged. If you would like to request a different lesson time during the same week, please let Simple Gaijin know. While I will make every reasonable effort to accommodate your request, alternative lesson times are subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed.
     

  • Cancellations made less than 24 hours before the scheduled lesson will be charged the full lesson fee.
     

  • Failure to attend a scheduled lesson without prior notice ("No Call / No Show") will also be charged the full lesson fee. If a student also misses a rescheduled lesson after requesting one, you will be charged as well.
     

- Please understand that your lesson time is reserved exclusively for you. When a lesson is cancelled on short notice, it is generally impossible to offer that time to another student. This policy helps ensure that Simple Gaijin can continue providing consistent, high-quality instruction while respecting the time commitment made by both the student and the instructor.

 

- Exceptions may be made at the instructor's sole discretion in cases of genuine emergencies. Please note that routine work obligations, vacations, social events, appointments, or other personal scheduling conflicts are not considered emergencies and remain subject to the cancellation policy.

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Late Arrivals

- Students are expected to arrive on time and be ready to begin at their scheduled lesson time.
 

- Lessons will conclude at their originally scheduled end time, regardless of when the student joins the lesson.
 

- Time lost due to a late arrival cannot be recovered by extending the lesson or carrying over unused time to a future lesson.
 

- If a student has not arrived within 15 minutes of the scheduled lesson time and has not contacted the instructor, the lesson may be considered a No Call / No Show. The lesson will be forfeited, and the full lesson fee will apply in accordance with the Cancellation & Rescheduling Policy.

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Payment

- Payment is due immediately following each lesson unless another arrangement has been agreed upon in advance.
 

- At this time, Simple Gaijin accepts payment through Venmo, Zelle, and PayPal. Please note that PayPal payments are subject to a small processing fee. As Simple Gaijin transitions its operations to Japan, accepted payment methods may change. Students will be notified in advance of any changes.
 

- Students with outstanding balances may be required to settle their account before additional lessons are scheduled. Simple Gaijin reserves the right to suspend future lessons until any outstanding balance has been paid in full.

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Online Lessons

- Students are responsible for ensuring they have the following before each lesson:

  • A stable internet connection

  • A functioning microphone and camera

  • A quiet environment suitable for learning

  • Access to the agreed-upon lesson platform (Microsoft Teams and Google Docs)
     

- Technical difficulties on the student's end do not automatically qualify for refunds, lesson extensions, or replacement lessons.
 

- If a technical issue occurs on the instructor's end that significantly disrupts the lesson, Simple Gaijin will make reasonable arrangements to ensure the student receives the full instructional time.
 

- In the event of widespread circumstances beyond either party's control—such as severe weather, extended power outages, internet service outages affecting an entire area, or other force majeure events—Simple Gaijin will work with the student to arrange an alternative lesson time when reasonably possible. Such situations will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

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Lesson Recordings

- Students are welcome to record lessons for their personal study and review.
 

- Lesson recordings may not be:

  • Shared with other individuals

  • Uploaded to websites, social media platforms, or video-sharing services

  • Sold, distributed, or otherwise reproduced

  • Used for commercial, educational, or training purposes

  • Edited or republished in a manner that misrepresents the instructor or Simple Gaijin

without the prior written permission of Simple Gaijin. Unauthorized use, distribution, reproduction, or publication of lesson recordings may result in the immediate termination of lessons and may subject the responsible individual to legal action or any other remedies available under applicable law.


- All lesson recordings remain the intellectual property of the instructor and are intended solely for the enrolled student's personal educational use.
 

- Simple Gaijin may also record lessons for purposes including, but not limited to, quality assurance, instructor training, documentation, and legal recordkeeping. By participating in lessons with Simple Gaijin, students acknowledge and consent to the possibility that a lesson may be recorded for these purposes.

- Any recordings made by Simple Gaijin will be stored securely, used only for legitimate business purposes, and will not be publicly released without the student's prior consent unless required by law.

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Teaching Materials

- All lesson materials, worksheets, notes, presentations, handouts, digital resources, and other original content created and provided by Simple Gaijin remain the intellectual property of Simple Gaijin unless otherwise noted.
 

- These materials are provided solely for the enrolled student's personal educational use and may not be copied, reproduced, modified, redistributed, shared, published, or sold without the prior written permission of Simple Gaijin.
 

- Students may retain copies of lesson materials for their own personal study and review after lessons have concluded. Ownership of all materials, however, remains with Simple Gaijin.


- Some lessons may incorporate textbooks, articles, videos, or other materials owned by third parties. Such materials remain the intellectual property of their respective copyright holders and are subject to the applicable copyright and licensing laws.


- Simple Gaijin reserves the right to revise, update, replace, or discontinue instructional materials at any time in order to improve lesson quality or maintain the accuracy and effectiveness of its curriculum.


- All rights not expressly granted in this policy are reserved by Simple Gaijin.

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Proprietary Materials

- Instructional materials created by Simple Gaijin—including, but not limited to, original worksheets, lesson plans, presentations, study guides, exercises, graphics, videos, and other educational content—are proprietary and protected by applicable copyright and intellectual property laws.
 

- Unauthorized copying, reproduction, distribution, publication, sale, or online posting of these materials, in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited without the prior written permission of Simple Gaijin.
 

- Simple Gaijin actively monitors the unauthorized use of its proprietary materials and reserves the right to pursue all available legal and equitable remedies against individuals or organizations that infringe upon its intellectual property rights.


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Respectful Learning Environment

- Simple Gaijin is committed to maintaining a welcoming, professional, and respectful learning environment for all students.
 

- Students are expected to communicate respectfully, behave appropriately, and conduct themselves in a manner that supports a positive learning experience during all lessons and interactions with Simple Gaijin.
 

- This standard of respectful conduct applies to all communications with Simple Gaijin, including lessons, email, messaging platforms, and social media interactions.

 

- Harassment, abusive or offensive language, discrimination, intimidation, threats, repeated disruptive behavior, or any conduct that interferes with the learning environment will not be tolerated.

 

 - Students are also expected to conduct themselves responsibly in public forums when identifying themselves as students of Simple Gaijin or when their conduct may reasonably be associated with the school. Behavior that seriously damages the reputation of Simple Gaijin, harasses members of the Japanese language community, encourages illegal activity, or otherwise reflects conduct incompatible with the school's values may result in the immediate termination of lessons and a permanent ban from future enrollment.

 

- Simple Gaijin reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to discontinue lessons or refuse future enrollment to any student whose conduct—whether during lessons or in public forums—is determined to be incompatible with the school's mission, values, or professional reputation.


- Simple Gaijin reserves the right to end a lesson immediately, refuse future service, or terminate a student's enrollment without refund for any lesson affected by such conduct.

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Instructor Availability

- While every effort will be made to respond promptly to emails and messages, responses may not be immediate. Please allow up to two business days for a response, although most inquiries are answered much sooner.


- Scheduling requests and lesson-related questions are handled as quickly as possible based on lesson availability.


- Simple Gaijin does not guarantee immediate responses outside of normal business hours, on holidays, or during periods when the instructor is traveling or otherwise unavailable.


- Students should not rely on Simple Gaijin for emergency assistance. If your matter is urgent or involves an emergency, please contact the appropriate emergency services or other relevant authorities.


- Business hours, holidays, and periods of planned unavailability will be communicated to students whenever reasonably possible.

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Policy Updates

- These policies may be revised from time to time as Simple Gaijin continues to grow, improve its services, or comply with changes in applicable laws and regulations.
 

- Students will be notified of any significant policy changes before they take effect whenever reasonably possible. Minor administrative or clarifying updates that do not materially affect students' rights or obligations may be made without prior notice.
 

- Continued enrollment in lessons after the effective date of any revised policy constitutes acceptance of the updated policies.

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Agreement

By scheduling, purchasing, or attending lessons with Simple Gaijin, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to abide by these Student Policies.
 

These policies form part of the agreement between you and Simple Gaijin and remain in effect for the duration of your enrollment unless otherwise stated.
 

Thank you for choosing Simple Gaijin. I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to help you learn Japanese and look forward to being part of your language-learning journey. Whether your goal is travel, business, the JLPT, or simply a love of Japanese language and culture, I am committed to helping you succeed every step of the way.


Mike Viscusi
Owner & Instructor
Simple Gaijin

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