Bat-Erdene Khulan vividly remembers childhood on Mongolia's steppe with her herder parents, before moving alone to the capital Ulaanbaatar to pursue further studies and a career in finance. The 36-year-old is one of a growing number of Mongolians who are bridging a deepening divide between rural and urban life in a country where the demands of the modern world are slowly extinguishing ancient nomadic traditions. "The boys stay in the steppe, raising the animals, but girls go to cities, study and stay there working," she tells AFP. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES ARRANGED IN SEQUENCES