On every road in Yerevan there's a 'media kiosk' that sells newspapers, lotteries, crossword puzzles and magazines.
Lottery and crossword puzzles are sold like 'hot bread'. There are six to eighth different lottery programs and from what I've seen from surfing TV they've become one of favorite family pastimes. People watch it even when don't have tickets. Each program lasts around an hour: winners tell the story of their lives (how they got the ticket, the way they discovered they were winners, where they live, what they plan to do); then each program claims to be donating a portion of winnings to a good cause; there's one that gives to schools and on every session there's a principal reporting about the expenditure, what was renovated with all $100 or $150 USD.
Solving crossword puzzles is another favorite pastime in Armenia. Construction and other workers take a break for lunch and instead of having Kit Kat they have a crossword puzzle to solve. It happened with carpenters when they were working in our apartment. Sales people sometimes ignoring customers try to solve a puzzle and their colleagues from different booths would offer their help.
Yesterday all I wanted to buy was AIM Magazine, April or May issue. I went to the closest media kiosk and got scorned from the lady because I was not doing business with her. She only had March issue and I already had that from somewhere else.
She made me feel guilty (how is she going to survive if I do not buy from her?) made a promise and came home.
Where else would you scorn a potential customer? Only in Armenia.