LVLCHG
...I have been told to expect a lot of east coast stuff to start with...
Yes, that is very probable.
The drawback with these trips is not that they are difficult or unpleasant places to visit, it is that they tend to be low credit, two crew, three or four day trips, meaning you need to do five/six of them a month to fulfil your work requirement.
It is the repetitive nature of this sort of 3 ON 2 OFF roster that becomes quite fatiguing.
...is it possible to pick up the SFO's, MAU's, etc being junior?...
SFO yes, many junior F/Os get those, often on something on a blind line, which you'll learn about in due course. MRU no, not so likely!
...To be honest, if my month involves me going to JFK a few times.. I can live with that!!...
I like JFK. Just as well, I've been there a lot!
...I'm just glad to have been offered a place on the 747...anything else is a bonus...
That's the way to look at it, lots of people will gladly swop with you if you don't want it! If the recruitment profile that is currently being talked about for the next five years actually happens, you will see a lot of people coming in beneath you.
Regards
Bellerophon