Primera Dama Michelle Obama To Mexico In First Solo Official Trip

First Lady Michelle Obama -- Primera Dama in Spanish -- makes her first solo official international visit next month, when she travels to Mexico City.

Mrs. Obama flew to Europe last summer with her daughters and without President Obama, but that was for a vacation. The April 13-15 trip will not include her daughters, I was told.

The White House, in a release said, "Mrs. Obama's international agenda will amplify the President's commitment to advancing mutual interests, mutual respect and mutual responsibility between nations and peoples around the world. During this visit, Mrs. Obama will have the opportunity to engage the citizens of Mexico, particularly young people, and build on her recent conversation with Mexican First Lady Margarita Zavala de Calderon on the issues of education and economic advancement in both countries."

The announcement of Mrs. Obama's trip was also released in Spanish by the White House.

Since taking office in January, 2009, Mrs. Obama has crossed paths with Mrs. de Calderon several times at G-20 and UN meetings and at the White House.

On Friday, the White House announced that Mrs. Obama and daughters Malia, 11, and Sasha, 8 would not be going -- as had been planned -- with Obama to Indonesia, Guam, and Australia because the departure date was changed to March 21 from March 18. Obama delayed the trip to remain in Washington and keep pressure on Congress to pass health care reform. The Obama girls were going because the trip was timed to their Spring vacation. The revised dates won't give the girls enough time to recover for school.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said at the Friday briefing "the way now the trip sits in the week, it's not as conducive for them to go."

Asked if the travel experience was worth missing some school, Gibbs said that's above his pay grade to answer.

Gibbs was asked, "Isn't it more important for the girls to go to this trip and miss a few days of school, despite how brisk the trip is?"

He replied, "Well, it's a decision I would leave to the parents, and I think it's -- having a six-year-old -- I think it's important that they also spend some time -- Lord knows we've had enough snow days -- they spend some time in school.

"But again, that's way above -- that is above my pay grade by many, many rungs on the ladder."