About Us
The way that it started
Our Story
When I first arrived in the U.S. as an au pair, I planned to stay just one year and then return home to Colombia. But life had other plans. Two decades later, I’m still here, grateful for the journey that has brought so much growth, joy, and unexpected opportunity.
That first year in the U.S. was transformative. I met incredible people, embraced a new culture, and eventually became a mother to three amazing children. Learning English while navigating a new country was not easy, but it opened doors I never could have imagined. My former husband is Greek, and while he spoke Greek and English, I only spoke Spanish and a little English. Communication was often a challenge, but it also sparked an idea: What if language learning could be more than just memorizing vocabulary and grammar rules?
This vision led to the creation of Buenos Amigos Spanish; a program designed to teach Spanish in a fun, practical, and meaningful way. I wanted to go beyond textbooks, focusing instead on real-life experiences that make language come alive. Seeing my students light up as they gained confidence and made real progress inspired me every single day.
But my love for working with children soon pushed this dream even further.
After I became pregnant with my baby girl, driving all over the city teaching classes got harder. As an Au-pair, I had been involved with babysitters and nannies and had seen things I did not want for my child. So I decided to put my Montessori education to good use. My volunteer time at a Children’s Hospital and at Fundacion Luz y Vida in Bogota (for special needs children), along with 300 hours in Early Childhood Education gave me the confidence to finally decide:
We are opening a home daycare!
You should have seen my ex-husband’s eyes when I told him! His family was hesitant. They knew many people who had opened a daycare and had to close it soon after. I quickly proved them wrong. Buenos Amigos Daycare would be different. I would make it a second home for the children who attended. I would care and teach every single child that came through our doors as if it was my own.
In my Spanish daycare and preschool, they would experience the real-life way to learn Spanish.
I wasn’t happy with any Spanish immersion preschool curriculum I found. I tried working with one of them for a couple of years but spent a lot of time improving it. Eventually, I decided to create my own curriculum for my Spanish immersion preschool. We focus on learning one letter per month and all the activities are related to that letter, in both Spanish and English.
The 1st week, we work on language, writing skills, we learn new words and read a lot. The 2nd week, we practice math, make crafts involving numbers, and create didactic activities that help children solve simple math problems. The 3rd week, we focus on science. We experiment, grow plants, observe metamorphosis, learn about nature and healthy habits. The 4th and 5th weeks, we learn about diversity and social relations.
We choose a country and learn about the culture, listen to its music, cook local recipes, practice coloring, learn the flags and geographic locations. Family’s assistance with these activities is required so that parents remain involved even when their child is in preschool, and they sure do a good job!
We also have field trips, daily circle time and monthly music, zumba and classes. Everything revolves around that one letter of the month. Seems like a lot, but children’s brains are like sponges and its never enough! All of the activities at our Spanish daycare are, of course, in Spanish.
I use all the didactic materials I can find to make the time at daycare as fun as possible. We have lots of toys, puppets, instruments, and kids-size household items. Toddlers and preschoolers help with daily chores like sweeping, cleaning, washing dishes, etc.
This is The real-life way to learn Spanish.
I continue to further my training in early education and demand the same from my staff. Were a Spanish daycare but most of our students are not Spanish speaking. Neither are their parents. We have worked with children from China, South Africa, Korea, Japan, India, Greece, France among many other countries.
Choosing a bilingual preschool is a great way to expose children to more than one language. Bilingual children are better at multitasking and problem-solving. They also perform better in school and tend to score higher on standardized tests. Besides building brainpower, learning a new language promotes cross-cultural understanding and openness to diversity.
What began as a personal journey to learn, adapt, and grow has become a mission to help others do the same. Today, Buenos Amigos Daycare stands as a celebration of culture, language, and the amazing potential of young minds. It’s a dream born from experience, fueled by love, and shaped by the belief that language connects us all.
Know more about us
Meet the Staff
Mrs. Maria Sideris
DIRECTOR/OWNER
I also owned Buenos Amigos Spanish (The real life way to learn Spanish) and provided for many years Spanish lessons to children and adults. I wrote and edited a Spanish lessons book for beginners. I have a Bachelors degree in Business Administration. Please take a moment to review my childcare credentials.
I love being with children, I find it so rewarding to be an integral part of their development. I learn every day from them as they do from me. Working with children requires patience, dedication and consistency. It’s a privilege for me as a Teacher/provider to be able to take part in a child’s growth at such an important stage of their lives. I will be ready each day to listen, teach, share and be a helpful childcare provider in their daily experiences which is an important building block for their future.
Miss. Diana Prieto Guevara
LEAD TEACHER LOCATION #1
I am a Colombian Teacher and trainer in children’s pedagogy with an emphasis on arts (theater, dance, and literature), passionate about the integral development of children through playful
recreational, cultural, and academic activities. Professional with over fifteen (15) years of experience in processes of early stimulation, management of inclusion in the classroom, development of
pedagogical strategies from multiple intelligences, and using art as
a dynamic tool.
Miss. Karina Ramos
LEAD TEACHER LOCATION #3
My name is Karina Ramos, I’m from Mexico, for me working with kids in not a job is a big opportunity. I get a great sense of achievement from seeing my students develop and grow as individuals to their greatest potential. Being a ECE teacher is the most rewarding “job” because I learn from the children as much as they learn from me.
Miss. Daysi Menjivar
LEAD TEACHER LOC #2
My name is Daysi Menjivar, and I’m originally from El Salvador. I’ve been working with children for about four years, and it’s something I truly love. I find joy in supporting their growth and development, and nothing makes me happier than seeing them smile and laugh.
One of the most rewarding parts of my day is witnessing the excitement and sense of accomplishment from both the children and my fellow teachers when a new skill is learned or a milestone is reached. These moments always stay with me
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Mrs. Sonia Macay
TEACHER LOCATION #4
My name is Sonia and I’m from El Salvador. I enjoy being a teacher because I am passionate about children and love teaching and listening to their laughs and voice; I love dancing and playing with them. I characterize myself as a person with patience and good humor; I get deep satisfaction knowing that quality early childhood education can help a child develop strong self-esteem, problem-solving skills, and independence.
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Contact Us
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