Ok, so if you have never traveled between North America and Europe, this may come as a surprise, but not all soda is equal. Here in Europe, real sugar is much more common to be used as a sweetener for drinks and snacks than corn syrup. Opposite is true for North America. In other parts of the world the selection can vary as well.
How you ever tried sodas with a different sweetener than you are use to? I found that Coca-Cola in the US is ok, but real sugar Coke in Europe is so much better. Something about the real sugar makes it just a little bit sharper taste. I have also found that I can't stand some sodas (Pepsi for example) in the US, but the real sugar version is barrable (closer to US Coke taste).
I have managed to bring some US sodas over when returning from vacation and shared them with friends here. Some like it, some don't.